Find Out How the Employer Pledge Program Can Help You Javascript must be enabled to use this site. Please enable Javascript in your browser and try again. × Search search POPULAR SEARCHES SUGGESTED LINKS Join AARP for just $9 per year when you sign up for a 5-year term. Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. Leaving AARP.org Website You are now leaving AARP.org and going to a website that is not operated by AARP. A different privacy policy and terms of service will apply.

How the Employer Pledge Program Helps Older Workers Get Hired

AARP shows businesses that age discrimination hurts their companies too

GETTY IMAGES When you’re struggling to land a job, age discrimination can seem like a problem too big to solve. You can’t change how old you are, and — unless you get hired — you also might not be able to convince employers that age shouldn’t matter. According to an , 62 percent of older workers say they have either seen or experienced age discrimination on the job. That bias has a broad impact. At the national level, age discrimination already costs the economy an estimated . As older adults become a larger share of the nation’s overall pool of workers, based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projections, building an inclusive, multigenerational workforce isn’t just a marketing tool: It’s a necessity. The truth is that age discrimination hurts everyone, especially employers. Get instant access to members-only products and hundreds of discounts, a free second membership, and a subscription to AARP the Magazine. The good news, if you’re an older job seeker, is that you won’t have to convince employers about the value of experienced workers all by yourself. For more than 10 years, hundreds of businesses have joined AARP’s , voicing their commitment to age diversity. In 2021, companies that have signed the pledge employed more 1 million people nationwide. As those numbers continue to grow, the opportunities for older workers will continue to grow.

Helping employers take action

Studies show that many business leaders understand the value of experience and genuinely want to do the right thing. Age-diverse teams tend to have higher rates of employment stability, engagement and motivation, which often translate to higher profitability for businesses. founder Rosa Lowinger shared her personal experience: “You really get something immeasurable from an [older] employee who has experience. More than just their ability, and their skills and the wisdom that comes with experience. As an employer, you’re always wondering how much [workers] really understand that you want to do the right thing for them. And every time I have hired someone who is older than 50, they get it, because these are people that have worked in a lot of other places, and they know what it’s like to work in a good place.” While over 70 percent of employers want to build age-friendly workplaces, over 95 percent of those polled don’t know how, according to research by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development. The fact is age discrimination often occurs unconsciously and can continue unless ending bias becomes an area of focus and awareness. Restaurants 15% off dine-in and pickup orders See more Restaurants offers >

The number of pledge signers continues to grow

Since its inception, the program has grown rapidly, with over 1,500 active pledge signers including Macy’s, Humana and Home Instead. Joining the pledge program requires more than signing a name. Applicants first must undergo a vetting process to flag any cases of class-action age discrimination lawsuits in the last five years. Even after they have been accepted into the program, pledge signers are vetted again every three years in ensure that they have maintained their age-friendly status. Pledge signers also participate in quarterly program calls and commit to other actions such as implementing age-inclusive hiring policies, employee benefit offerings and more. Business leaders are taking notice of the Employer Pledge Program and joining the cause. Between April and June 2022, the program admitted an additional 164 companies that employ a total of 282,791 workers nationwide, a 15 percent increase compared to the second quarter of 2021. Small businesses with fewer than 25 employees represent approximately 33 percent of the Employer Pledge Program. Medium-size businesses account for 48 percent of pledge signers, while large employers (more than 500 employees) represent 18 percent of pledge signers. In 2021, Pledge signers collectively employed an estimated 1.1 million workers across the U.S. AARP NEWSLETTERS %{ newsLetterPromoText }% %{ description }% Subscribe . — Polish your résumé with guidance from . — Create a profile or log in to the . — Upload your résumé to the AARP Job Board. — Turn on the “Allow Employer Pledge Program Companies to search my résumé” feature on the AARP Job Board, which places your résumé directly in front of verified age-inclusive employers. — Filter Job Board openings by “Only Employer Pledge Program Companies” to browse verified age-inclusive employers. Pledge signers believe that age-inclusive employment practices have positive ripple effects. Cost savings, productivity increases and workforce stability are some of the cited benefits. Employers who can harness the power of a multigenerational workforce and job seekers who can align experience with in-demand skills are better positioned not only to adapt but also to thrive in the workplace together. MORE FROM AARP Looking For a Job? SEARCH THE AARP JOB BOARD Find a Job Powered By AARP VALUE & MEMBER BENEFITS See more Home & Real Estate offers > See more Restaurants offers > See more Work & Jobs offers > See more Groceries offers > SAVE MONEY WITH THESE LIMITED-TIME OFFERS