Senior Employment

Background of Project

West central Minnesota has maintained extremely strong employment numbers despite the recession. Approximately 94% of the 18-64 year olds in the region are currently employed. Senior citizens are the only large group remaining from which to draw to meet increased demand for workers. Barriers that have been identified to senior participation in the workforce include:

	A sense that employers did not want, need, or value seniors as employees,
	A desire for flexibility in scheduling,
	A misperception that the only jobs available paid minimum wage,
	Lack of understanding of the new social security rules that allow seniors at full retirement age to earn unlimited income without benefit reductions, and
	Fear of new technologies being used in the workplace.

As a result, a set of principles and best practices for employers seeking to establish a "senior friendly" workplace was developed along with a pilot project to attempt to increase senior participation in the workplace.

Project Description

Funded by a $25,000 grant from the West Central Initiative Fund, the pilot project is working with both seniors and employers in the Fergus Falls labor market to increase senior participation in the workplace. Participating employers that agree to utilize the "Principles for a Senior Friendly Workplace" are entitled to use a brand identity developed by the project in their recruitment efforts. Job fairs will be held and seniors will be trained to orient them to the technological changes in the workplace (ie: basic computer literacy, running electronic cash registers). The project is a cooperative effort between the following agencies who make up the Senior Employment Committee of the West Central Minnesota Labor Force Development Council: West Central Initiative, Fergus Falls Senior Citizens Program, Inc., Experience Works, MN Workforce Center, West Central Area Agency on Aging (currently Land of the Dancing Sky Area Agency on Aging), Otter Tail County (Senior Coordinator, U.S. Social Security Administration (Fergus Falls office), Fergus Falls Community Education, and MN State Community and Technical College-Fergus Falls.

Principles Senior Friendly Employers

For information on other senior services in the area log onto the Otter Tail County Resource Directory.