South Ayrshire Council is introducing a Policy and Guide for the consideration of requests from staff who want to work beyond the age of 65 in line with new age discrimination legislation due to be implemented in Autumn, 2006.

The Council’s Policy and Resources Committee has approved the move after receiving a report explaining that next year legislation will provide for a national default retirement age of 65, however it will not be compulsory and employees will have a right to request to work beyond this, which employers will be obliged to consider.

The Committee was told that in advance of this legislation, Council departments have already received and continue to receive requests from a limited number of employees to work beyond their contractual retirement age of 65.

Where there is objective justification and to ensure the business needs of the Council continue to be met, requests have been considered on an individual basis and in some cases have been granted.

Said Councillor Andy Hill, Leader of South Ayrshire Council: “In implementing a policy in advance of the legislation, the Council is clearly extending its existing commitment to equalities and promoting good practice in this area.”

Key principles of the Council policy include:

• Provision for an employee to apply to continue working beyond the age of 65
• Any extension to be entirely at the discretion of the Council having regard to the business needs of the Council
• Approval being subject to employees being declared fit to continue working following medical assessment by the Council’s Occupational Health Adviser
• Any approval given to continue to work will relate only to the employee’s current job and is not transferable
  

July 2005