The San Jose Mercury News reports on a Manpower survey about the aging workforce and employer policies towards that workforce.

The conclusion: Most companies do not have policies to attract or retain older workers. (14 percent have policies to attract and 21 percent have policies designed to retain aging workers.)

"Attracting and retaining older workers will gain importance on the corporate agenda as it becomes clear that the largest available untapped workforce segment is older adults," according to the report, "The New Agenda for an Older Workforce."

Manpower defines an older worker as being at least 50, the age at which a person is eligible to join AARP. The November survey of 1,000 U.S. employers was part of an international survey of 28,000 employers in 25 countries.
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The survey uncovered several perceptions that employers consider to be roadblocks when hiring older workers, Holmes said.

They include higher salary and stature; health care costs; additional need for special training; liability, pension and retirement issues; generational conflict with younger workers; and cost of accommodations.