and insurance costs employers face in hiring older persons. Also, there was concern expressed in a session on "Counseling and Retraining" on the need to reexamine present retraining programs as there is some likelihood that we might be training people for some jobs that will not exist by the time retraining is completed. Another proposal called for new ways to employ older people in such fields as health, recreation, and welfare, since traditional types of work are declining, but great needs exist in these fields. Business and labor participants also called for an accelerated education program on the problems of the older worker directed towards both employers and employees. In, perhaps, the most provocative summary of the entire work- D. PROPOSALS FOR ACTION The following proposals are a composite of the major themes which Among the major areas given consideration in workshop discussion were: 1. The Effects of Public and Private Pension and Insurance A persistent theme in nearly every workshop was that certain aspects of public and private pension and insurance programs are militating against the employment of older persons. Major concern and consideration was given to the development of private pension arrangements that contain vesting rights that would protect the equity of the employee and enhance job mobility and transferability. Proposals were made that called for standardization of private pension plans under legislation that would establish definite standards for pension plans in California and also permit pooling arrangements by insurance carriers to spread whatever costs effects a single company might experience in hiring an older worker as needed incentives. Other proposals stressed legislative consideration of such approaches as legislation to permit small employers to pool pension and other insurance costs; to make it possible for the individual older worker to pay for the difference in costs to the employer, if such costs can be established; or for the specific creation of reinsurance programs funded by government to pay such costs; again as an incentive to hiring the older worker. Also, there was strong concern about the obstacles to continuing employment caused by private pension plans which forbid a retired person to engage in any employment deemed competitive to the business from which he has retired or by pension plans that require mandatory retirement prior to age 65, thus forcing the individual to seek employment elsewhere and/or accept actuarily reduced Social Security benefits. While realizing that the merits of the above approaches will require possible refinement and study, there was a general consensus that the Legislature should authorize funds for a scientific and thorough study of the actual cost figures in providing private pension coverage and benefits to the State's older work force. This would give all concerned the type of factual base needed to resolve the "half-myth - half-facts" aura which now surrounds this issue to such an extent. Modification of existing public insurance programs were also proposed in order to provide a more favorable climate of opportunity for the older and retired worker. The proposal was made that it is urgent for Congress to provide for a revised concept of the retirement test and the earning limitation for persons receiving Social Security benefits. It was felt that this concept should, at least, permit the worker receiving Social Security to bring his income up to the level of a modest and adequate standard of living. On the State level and in the area of Unemployment Insurance, improvements were felt needed to better serve the needs of older workers and others who are involved or need to be involved in training or retraining programs to reenter employment. On this point, such measures were proposed as broadening of training courses to include basic education and academic courses rather than be limited exclusively to vocational courses, extension of weekly UI benefits throughout the period of training, and some system of incentive payments over and above the regular weekly benefits to those individuals engaged in training programs. Another proposal regarding Unemployment Insurance was to permit employers to employ any worker 45 or over on a 30-day trial basis without adverse effect on the employer's experience rating or unemployment insurance reserve account. It was felt that this would obviate against adverse experience rating by employers willing and wanting to employ older persons, but at the same time, avoid penalty to the employer where the employee is discharged through no fault of his own or the employer's during the trial period. In Workmen's Compensation, several changes were proposed. Growing out of an extensive discussion by labor and management representatives in one workshop was an interesting proposal to change the basic concept of the present "second injury" provisions of the program as they relate to the hiring of an individual who has been previously injured. The proposal would entail the underwriting of the costs of physical examinations incurred by employers on the part of such applicants for employment; the changing of the present law to permit the employee to waive benefits under the "second injury" provisions; this protection would be replaced by eligibility for such benefits, if reinjured, from a special fund operated with State funds. It was argued that such a plan would provide a real incentive to employers to hire older workers with previous injuries, and, at the same time, provide continued protection in the event of later injury or disability. 2. Training, Retraining, and Counseling Proposals made clearly indicated the need for much broader programs of training, retraining, and counseling services than now exist to help older people maintain or find new employment. Many believed present programs and facilities are not geared as much as they should be to the individual needs of older people for such training or the needs of employers or a rapidly changing economy. There were several suggestions that a real upgrading of the content of existing training or retraining programs could be accomplished for older workers if fuller use was made of educational programs in public schools and colleges and of adult education programs. Similar suggestions were made regarding modification of certain requirements which act to restrict older people from enrolling in certain educational programs, to develop new and appropriate classes for older adults, or the employment of qualified retired persons as instructors in such programs. There was considerable concern that steps be taken to provide a more acceptable climate for retraining, especially on the part of unemployed older men and women who have major family responsibilities. This concern expressed itself in such proposals as supplementation of training payments under either Unemployment Insurance or expansion of the Manpower Development and Training Act, relocation allowances after training, or incentive payments or tax credits to employers willing to provide on-the-job training to older persons. Improved counseling services to the older worker, on the part of industry, labor, the public schools, and such state agencies as the Department of Employment and Department of Education was considered essential to help older workers and employers faced with changing job requirements or demands. As was the case with retraining, there was general consensus that present counseling methods and services should be upgraded with emphasis on both individual and group counseling and closer liaison between counselors and potential employers. 3. Improved Public Understanding and Broader Public Information About the Employment of Older Persons The need for improved public understanding of the abilities and potentials of older workers was underscored as basic to any solution to the many complexities of the employment problems of the older worker. It was consistently pointed out that many of the barriers and obstacles to hiring the older worker are based upon the generally held beliefs that older workers lack flexibility, are difficult to train, are slower, cannot meet physical requirements of a job, or are difficult to supervise. It was felt that the basis for such beliefs was often due to misconceptions and broad generalizations that were not grounded in fact. To meet this problem, there was consistent support for development of broad programs of general and specific education and information by government, labor, and industry to continually disseminate factual information based on valid research and study that could be used to break down many of the myths and stereotypes that adversely act against the older worker. Although there was some division of opinion regarding whether the primary leadership for improved understanding should rest primarily with government or by joint management-labor cooperation, it was generally held that both labor and management must play a major role to generate the needed support and understanding at the community level. The basic elements of a broader educational and informational program were viewed as including more current and precise data and reporting on job trends, new jobs, job obsolescence, and skill requirements as major tools needed for more effective counseling and placement; studies and research on a carefully designed basis regarding the actual job performance of older workers; and development of a series of proficiency, intelligence, achievement, and personality tests that have been standardized on the basis of successful job performance rather than on solely academic standards for use by employers in testing the abilities of older applicants and employees. To give immediate impetus to a broad scale program of public education, a proposal was made for legislation to establish a state committee to solely focus on the problems of the older worker and encourage appropriate action toward their solution by labor, management, and communities acting in cooperation with government. 4. Strengthening of Public Employment Services to the Older Worker A wide range of suggestions and proposals were made to strengthen the existing role and services to the older worker provided by the California Employment Service and the Department of Employment. Although there were different degrees of support, specific proposals made included suggestions to upgrade and improve the present status and qualifications of Older Worker Specialists, an increase in the number of Older Worker Specialists, to provide more comprehensive and individual job counseling and placement, more extensive listing of job opportunities available to older people by the Department and local Employment Service offices, and funds for the establishment of strengthened activity and projects by the Department to increase the opportunities in part-time employment for persons primarily 60 years of age and over. Also, it was proposed that the present legislation which is designed to combat discrimination in employment be strengthened by the establishment of a formal conciliation service within the Department where complainants and employers can be brought together when charges of alleged discrimination are made to settle differences. Another proposal was legislation to eliminate date of birth or age from application blanks. It was argued that often the older worker is screened out on the basis of age alone and if such factors were eliminated, prospective employers would hire or reject on more valid factors than age. 5. Management-Labor Action There was acceptance that the basic decisions regarding the employment and hiring of older workers essentially rests with management and labor, and basically, in all instances, with employers whether in the fields of private or public employment. The suggestion was frequently made that employment opportunities for older workers could be substantially improved by establishment of better understanding between management and labor in this area. Joint action by both around common objectives was viewed as preferable to unilateral action by either that can produce friction, misunderstanding, and rejection of a specific policy affecting older employees. The suggestion was made for the Legislature to invite both labor and management, in cooperation with other interested groups, to form joint committees at a community level to explore together the advisability of establishing maximum and minimum educational requirements, physical requirements, and the actual duties of each job in the community. Many felt that this approach would |