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| Why retiring is too much like hard work | Why retiring is too much like hard work |
| (about 4 hours later) | |
| By Kevin Peachey Personal finance reporter, BBC News Penelope Maclachlan works as a Portuguese interpreter | By Kevin Peachey Personal finance reporter, BBC News Penelope Maclachlan works as a Portuguese interpreter |
| Talk to Portuguese interpreter Penelope Maclachlan about retirement and she thinks you are speaking a different language. | Talk to Portuguese interpreter Penelope Maclachlan about retirement and she thinks you are speaking a different language. |
| The 66-year-old works up to 20 hours a week translating in courts, doctors' surgeries and social services departments, and she has no plans to stop. | The 66-year-old works up to 20 hours a week translating in courts, doctors' surgeries and social services departments, and she has no plans to stop. |
| "The only temptation is when you are waiting shivering outside a courtroom on a cold Monday morning at 8.45," she says. | "The only temptation is when you are waiting shivering outside a courtroom on a cold Monday morning at 8.45," she says. |
| "But I do not want to spend my day dusting. This keeps me active and keeps my brain going." | "But I do not want to spend my day dusting. This keeps me active and keeps my brain going." |
| It is the kind of philosophy that is shared by many other older female workers. | It is the kind of philosophy that is shared by many other older female workers. |
| Women aged over 50 was the only age group in the UK that showed a rise in employment compared with a year earlier, according to the latest official statistics. | Women aged over 50 was the only age group in the UK that showed a rise in employment compared with a year earlier, according to the latest official statistics. |
| But unions say that there is still a danger that some are being pushed into early retirement during the recession. | But unions say that there is still a danger that some are being pushed into early retirement during the recession. |
| Older and wiser | Older and wiser |
| "The idea that people over 50 are decrepit, I hope is not the case," says Mrs Maclachlan. "I am looking to carry on for as long as I can." | "The idea that people over 50 are decrepit, I hope is not the case," says Mrs Maclachlan. "I am looking to carry on for as long as I can." |
| It is not an exclusive club, but women can be better at some skills such as persuasion Penelope Maclachlan How to cope with unemployment | It is not an exclusive club, but women can be better at some skills such as persuasion Penelope Maclachlan How to cope with unemployment |
| She says that although with some previous clerical jobs she would have been happy to stop work at 60, she now has a job that she enjoys and that she thinks she does well. | She says that although with some previous clerical jobs she would have been happy to stop work at 60, she now has a job that she enjoys and that she thinks she does well. |
| Having lived for 10 years in Brazil from the age of three, Mrs Maclachlan is fluent in Portuguese. Her husband encouraged her to apply for the interpreting job and, having learnt some of the technical language required, she is now on the national register if required by public services. | Having lived for 10 years in Brazil from the age of three, Mrs Maclachlan is fluent in Portuguese. Her husband encouraged her to apply for the interpreting job and, having learnt some of the technical language required, she is now on the national register if required by public services. |
| She says she enjoys the interaction and the challenge, and is in little doubt that her age - and her gender - can, at times, help her to do her job better. This was also true of other older women in the workplace. | She says she enjoys the interaction and the challenge, and is in little doubt that her age - and her gender - can, at times, help her to do her job better. This was also true of other older women in the workplace. |
| "It is not an exclusive club, but women can be better at some skills such as persuasion," she says. | "It is not an exclusive club, but women can be better at some skills such as persuasion," she says. |
| Training opportunities for the older learner have increased, she says, and tolerance with workmates often becomes easier with time and experience. | Training opportunities for the older learner have increased, she says, and tolerance with workmates often becomes easier with time and experience. |
| It seems to be a position that many employers subscribe to. | It seems to be a position that many employers subscribe to. |
| The official employment statistics show that 28,000 more women aged between 50 and 59 were in employment in April to July 2009 compared with the same period a year earlier, a rise of 1.1%. | |
| An extra 58,000 women aged over 60 were employed in the same time period, a rise of 6.6% year-on-year. | |
| The employment rate for women in the 50 to 59 age range rose by 0.5% year-on-year, and it was a rise of 0.6% for those aged over 60. | |
| Bigger picture | Bigger picture |
| The jobless rate across all age groups in the UK increased to 7.8% in the three months to July, the highest in more than 10 years. | |
| UK unemployment levels have been rising in recent months | UK unemployment levels have been rising in recent months |
| Groups that represent older workers say that it would be wrong to draw a conclusion that older workers were free of the pressure of losing their jobs in the recession. | Groups that represent older workers say that it would be wrong to draw a conclusion that older workers were free of the pressure of losing their jobs in the recession. |
| Union umbrella group the TUC is calling for tailored support to help older people back into work, arguing that a long period of unemployment for the over-50s means they are more likely never to find their way back into the workplace. | Union umbrella group the TUC is calling for tailored support to help older people back into work, arguing that a long period of unemployment for the over-50s means they are more likely never to find their way back into the workplace. |
| It says that all the focus has been on youth unemployment, which is at a much higher rate than for older workers. | It says that all the focus has been on youth unemployment, which is at a much higher rate than for older workers. |
| "In previous recessions, people complained about the injustice of working women keeping men out of jobs. Sadly today, people are saying similar things about older workers causing youth unemployment," says TUC general secretary Brendan Barber. | "In previous recessions, people complained about the injustice of working women keeping men out of jobs. Sadly today, people are saying similar things about older workers causing youth unemployment," says TUC general secretary Brendan Barber. |
| "The idea of forcing older workers out of the labour market is morally offensive and would cause economic chaos. The UK would instantly lose vital skills and experience and young people would not necessarily be in a position to take up their jobs." | "The idea of forcing older workers out of the labour market is morally offensive and would cause economic chaos. The UK would instantly lose vital skills and experience and young people would not necessarily be in a position to take up their jobs." |
| The TUC favours the programme of subsidies for employers who take on somebody who has been unemployed for at least six months. | The TUC favours the programme of subsidies for employers who take on somebody who has been unemployed for at least six months. |
| Minister for Pensions Angela Eagle said: "We are spending £5bn to make sure jobseekers of all ages get the help they need to find work. | Minister for Pensions Angela Eagle said: "We are spending £5bn to make sure jobseekers of all ages get the help they need to find work. |
| "We are legislating to ban unjustifiable age discrimination and our Age Positive initiative is encouraging employers to recruit, train and retain older workers." | "We are legislating to ban unjustifiable age discrimination and our Age Positive initiative is encouraging employers to recruit, train and retain older workers." |
| 'Discrimination' | 'Discrimination' |
| The Age and Employment Network (Taen) argues that there is job discrimination against older workers. | The Age and Employment Network (Taen) argues that there is job discrimination against older workers. |
| It wants intensive back-to-work assistance for the older unemployed within three months of the date they sign on, rather than within six months. | It wants intensive back-to-work assistance for the older unemployed within three months of the date they sign on, rather than within six months. |
| Chris Ball, chief executive of Taen, says that baby boomers are entering the older age range and so were increasing the numbers of older workers available to work. | Chris Ball, chief executive of Taen, says that baby boomers are entering the older age range and so were increasing the numbers of older workers available to work. |
| He says there is not a "substitution effect" that means that a young worker automatically takes up a job that an older worker vacates. | He says there is not a "substitution effect" that means that a young worker automatically takes up a job that an older worker vacates. |
| "There is a strong business argument for an age diverse workforce," he says. | "There is a strong business argument for an age diverse workforce," he says. |
| Older workers have good contacts and the "wisdom and understanding" that can help a business through a recession, he says. | Older workers have good contacts and the "wisdom and understanding" that can help a business through a recession, he says. |