Government strikes deal to keep older workers in employment

The federal government has reached agreement on its plans to keep older workers in employment and to phase out the country’s early retirement system. The new policy means that in future, older workers who are unemployed or who take early retirement will have to be available for work. They will also be expected to follow training courses to prepare themselves for the job market.

President of the Flemish socialist party, Bruno Tobback, said he supported the policy but stressed that the government had to create jobs and persuade companies to take on people over the age of 50. At present, unemployed older people were highly unlikely to be offered a job, he said.

Kristof Calvo (pictured) of environmental party Groen said companies should not be allowed to discriminate against older people. “A lot of job applications from older workers are never answered,” he said. “The government has to tackle this problem of age discrimination.”

The coalition parties said they had introduced measures to create new jobs, such as cutting labour costs.

photo by Paul Van Welden