The debate surrounding mandatory retirement in Canada has been a public concern for over four decades. Proponents of mandatory retirement will point to issues that predominantly affect blue collar workers in physically demanding industries. In 1985 two law professors wrote an article for the Globe and Mail that accurately summarizes some of the benefits of mandatory retirement, such as leaving the workplace without any worry of social stigma, an out for unsatisfying jobs, and the receipt of benefits geared towards older adults. After a certain point, it’s reasonable to want to retire from a job that is physically taxing and begin collecting benefits that you’ve been accruing for years.
The following year, Jeff Rose of …show more content…
The intellectual experience that comes with age is seen as an asset, according to a 2005 editorial by the Toronto Star. Add to this the fact that humans live much longer and more healthfully due to medical advancement, it is reasonable to think that a now arbitrary forced retirement age is problematic. Further, it is undeniable that a mandatory retirement age constitutes ageism. For those against mandatory retirement, there is a great irony in effectively discriminating against older adults in an age of increasingly fierce protection of our human rights. Ultimately, those in this camp maintain retirement should be the employee’s …show more content…
His assertion, according to economic theory, is correct. In a world where the economy is always growing, there is certainly more work to be done. However, in a real world application that looks at individuals rather than the collective (which is not typical of economists), it’s easy to see that job shortages are indeed an issue. You don’t have to be operating under the fallacy to see that.
Our population is aging, and despite Kesselman’s assertions, the question remains as to how younger people are meant to enter the workforce when many desirable positions are still being held onto by older labourers. It seems logical to think that one’s position on mandatory retirement lies largely based on which side of midlife you’re on. Younger people in general, who wish to have either a fulfilling career or at least a steady paycheck are likely to support mandatory retirement when they consider how a lack of automatic employee turnover damages their shot at a decent