The Employment of the Older Worker--The Economically Middle Aged and Aged

Abstract

Just as the welfare of women and children employed in industry commanded the interest of the American public for several decades, so has the economic position of the older person during the last several years come to engage an ever growing concern for their well-being. Evidence to this effect is mounting. An increasing number of publications are being devoted to their cause. In addition, legislation for the relief of one type of older worker, the dependent aged, has been enacted by some 17 states. Finally, there is the extensive investigation now being conducted by the New York State Commission on Old Age Security on the age factor in industry. This study has arisen out of the desire of labor and employers to ascertain the actual state of affairs in industry with regard to the employment of the older person. The source of this fear for the older worker can be traced to several factors. In the first place, the last census has confirmed the predictions of an aging population. Secondly, there has been a wide acceptance of the conclusion that the older wage earners have been among the worst sufferers of our stupendous technological and industrial changes. Thirdly, unemployment, it has been observed, has reduced many of them to unemployable persons. Finally, there is the evidence pointing to the existence of discriminatory maximum hiring age practices in industry. The above conditions and observations have led men to inquire whether a larger number of older persons were to become dependent and, finally, whether there was not some method of overcoming the employment barriers and reabsorbing the older worker into industry, so as to permit as large a group of them as possible to become partially, if not entirely, self-supporting. It is the purpose of this address to describe the nature of the difficulties of the older worker, suggest the size of the problem, and outline a possible program of remedial action.