CONTENTS

1. Increasing Employment Opportunities for Older Workers, a report on the older worker program of the Department of Labor, United States Department of Labor..

2. Wanted: Jobs for the Forty-Plus by Senator Thomas C. Desmond, chairman, New York State Joint Legislative Committee on Problems of the Aging--

3. Retirement of Employees, Policies-Procedures-Practices by F. Beatrice Brower. Studies in Personnel Policy (National Industrial Conference Board).

4. Making the Best Use of the Older Worker by Robert A. Kehoe, M. D. Management Record (National Industrial Conference Board).

5. Preretirement and Retirement Aid and Counseling by Geneva Mathiasen, secretary to the national committee on the aging of the National Social Welfare Assembly. Proceedings of the Second Conference on the Problem of Making a Living While Growing Old, published by Temple University School of Business and Public Administration, Bureau of Economic and Business Research, and Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, Department of Labor and Industry, Bureau of Employment Security.

6. A Case Study on Utilization and Continued Employment of Older Workers by J. Howard Wyner, project director, National Committee on the Aging of the National Social Welfare Assembly.

7. Part-time Employment of the Aged by Warren J. Baker. Bureau of Old-Age and Survivors Insurance, Department of Health, Education, and Welfare..

8. Private Employment Agencies and the Older Worker by Albert J. Abrams. Enriching the Years, New York State Joint Legislative Committee on Problems of the Aging, 1953...

9. Retirement Policy, Conclusions and Recommendations, Charter for the Aging, New York State conference convened by Governor Averell Harriman, 1955--

10. Earning Opportunities for Mature Workers, Facts, Obstacles, and
Points of View by John M. Convery, employee relations division,
National Association of Manufacturers, 1955.

11. Labor and the Forty Plus, by Louis Hollander, A. F. of L.-C. I. O.
12. Benefits of the Federal Vocational Education Acts as Applied to the
Aging, Division of Vocational Education, Office of Education, De-
partment of Health, Education, and Welfare...

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1

INCREASING EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR

OLDER WORKERS

A REPORT ON THE OLDER WORKER PROGRAM
OF THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

U. S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR

JAMES P. MITCHELL, Secretary

CONTENTS

I. A message from the Secretary of Labor.

II. General background, trends and implications

III. The Department of Labor older worker objectives..
IV. Summary of report findings. ---

V. Measurement of job performance and age.

VI. Employment and age in union contracts.

VII. Older workers in the labor market. - .

VIII. Counseling and placement services for older workers.

IX. Pension costs in relation to the hiring of older workers_
X. Earning opportunities forums..

XI. Status of action program in the States.
XII. Plans for a continuing program_-

TABLES

Table 1. Indexes of output per man-hour for pieceworkers in 4 footwear
and 4 men's clothing establishments, by sex and age group--
Table 2. Indexes of output per man-hour for men and women pieceworkers
in higher and lower paid occupations and in machine and hand operation
occupations in 4 footwear establishments, by sex and age group.
Table 3. Indexes of output per man-hour for men and women pieceworkers
in higher and lower paid occupations and machine and hand operation
occupations in 4 clothing establishments, by sex and age group_
Table 4. Indexes of attendance of pieceworkers in 4 footwear and 4 men's
clothing establishments, by sex and age group..

Table 5. Prevalence of benefits under health and insurance plans by groups
covered..

Table 6. Maintenance of benefits for active workers and effect of age at hiring on availability or level of benefits under health and insurance plans...

Table 7. Benefit levels for workers retiring at age 65 compared with those provided immediately prior to retirement...

39

Table 8. Maximum age qualifications for pension plans..

42

Table 9. Distribution of pension plans by specified normal, compulsory, and automatic retirement ages and by amount of service credited after normal retirement age.

46

Table 10. Percentage distribution of job seekers by age group and sex, 7 areas, January-February 1956____

49

Table 11. Percentage distribution of job seekers by age group and by industry of last attachment, 7 areas combined, January-February 1956-Table 12. Percentage distribution of job seekers by age group and by most recent occupation, 7 areas January-February 1956.

50

Table 13. Percentage distribution of job seekers by age group and duration of unemployment in the 3-year period, 1953-55, 7 areas combined, January-February 1956

Table 14. Percentage distribution of job seekers by age group and number of jobs in the 3-year period, 1953-55, 7 areas combined.

Table 15. Percentage distribution of job seekers by age group and unemployment duration, classified by educational attainment, 7 areas combined January-February 1956..

Table 16. Physically handicapped job seekers as percent of all job seekers, by age group; and percentage distribution of job seekers by age group and type of physical handicap seven areas combined January-February

1956.

Table 17. Workers covered by pension plans as percent of total employment, by industry division and age, seven areas.