The Gerontologist, Vol 34, Issue 1 50-58, Copyright © 1994 by The Gerontological Society of America

ARTICLES

Private sector hiring and use of retirees: the firm's perspective

BA Hirshorn and DT Hoyer
Institute of Gerontology, Wayne State University, Detroit, MI 48202.

This article examines the hiring and utilization of retiree workers among U.S. firms with 20 or more employees (e.g., the hiring process, worker history with the company, scheduling, task assignment, relationship with other employees). Over 46% of private sector firms in this population hire retirees. Few firms, however, have a written policy or formalized program directed at hiring retirees. While assignment of retiree workers to regularly performed operational tasks is universal, the larger the firm, the more likely that a substantial proportion of these employees work in white-collar fields. Study results have practical implications for employment counseling services, private sector firms, and human resource specialists.