BC University Professors Applaud the End of Mandatory Retirement

CUFA/BC News Release
April 25, 2007

VANCOUVER - The organization representing BC's public university professors today applauded the introduction of new legislation that will end mandatory retirement in British Columbia by January 1, 2008.

"Today is a great day for older British Columbians. A day our organization has been working towards for the past year," said Robert Clift, Executive Director of the Confederation of University Faculty Associations of British Columbia (CUFA/BC). "As of January 1^st next year, it will become illegal in British Columbia to force someone to retire because of their age."

Bill 31, the Mandatory Retirement Elimination Act , makes changes to the Human Rights Code to eliminate provisions that allowed forced retirement at age 65. The bill also allows for the continuation of benefit plans past age 65, but permits those plans to offer different levels of coverage for older workers.

"Unlike Ontario, which allows employers to cut off benefits to workers over age 65," Clift said, "the BC legislation continues benefit coverage, but allows for age-based differences in how the benefits will work. This is a fair and sensible approach."

The professors group thanked the Premier, the Attorney General and the Minister Responsible for Seniors for their leadership in ending mandatory retirement.

"It took a lot of work to get today's announcement, and we wouldn't have gotten to this point without the leadership of Premier Gordon Campbell, Attorney General Wally Oppal, and Minister Responsible for Seniors Ida Chong," Clift said. "We offer them our thanks for a job well done."

Despite the fact that the Bill 31 will not come into force until January 1^st, 2008, CUFA/BC reminded employers that they can end mandatory retirement at any time before that date.

"Although mandatory retirement will not become illegal until January 1^st, there's nothing stopping employers from ending mandatory retirement before then," Clift said. "In fact, those employers who end mandatory retirement early will have an easier time recruiting older workers with the experience and skills needed in this booming economy."

Thank You for Your Support
April 25, 2007 - We did it!. After 10 months of hard campaigning, the BC Government introduced legislation that will end mandatory retirement in BC on January 1, 2008. CUFA/BC would like to thank everyone who supported our work.

Mandatory retirement bill delayed two years
Brian Flinn

hfxnews.ca
April 12, 2007

The Tory government is delaying the end of mandatory retirement in Nova Scotia.

The legislature's law amendments committee allowed the government to change its own bill yesterday.

Mandatory retirement will not be outlawed before July 1, 2009, and the government can delay the law further if it wants.

Both the Liberals and NDP welcome the change.

They said it will allow the government to hold much-needed consultation to improve the bill.

The Council of Nova Scotia University Presidents warned the committee Tuesday that eliminating mandatory retirement will cost institutions millions of dollars each year, and that cost will have to be passed along to students or government.

Saint Mary's University president Colin Dodds said professors who chose to work past age 65 typically earn more than younger replacements.

Halifax Fairview NDP Graham Steele said the government clearly got "cold feet" over the bill.

He said it's a good idea to eliminate mandatory retirement, but the governement needs to do its homework.

Nova Scotia to End Mandatory Retirement
March 29, 2007 - The Government of Nova Scotia today introduced legislation to end mandatory retirement in that province. The legislation is expected to come into effect in May 2008.

Mandatory Retirement Policies Eliminated
News Release

Nova Scotia Ministry of Environment and Labour
March 29, 2007

New legislation will give Nova Scotia workers the option to retire or to continue to work when they reach the age of 65.

Under An Act Respecting the Elimination of Mandatory Retirement, most employers will no longer be permitted to have mandatory retirement policies.

"This change will allow seniors in Nova Scotia, to continue their contribution to the work force, if that is their wish," said Mark Parent, Minister of Environment and Labour. "Experienced workers are a valuable resource, especially in our labour market where the skills shortage is a real concern."

This act will be of particular importance to some immigrant workers and others whose careers began late in life or were interrupted. It will also assist parents who take childcare leave from the workforce. Those groups may want to continue working longer to maximize their contributions to the Canada Pension Plan.

The proposed law allows for some exemptions from the change. Employers may have mandatory retirement policies if a worker's age will significantly affect the ability to perform the duties of a job, such as firefighter, pilot, or police officer. The Human Rights Commission will have the role of deciding if mandatory retirement is or is not justifiable.

The Labour Standards Code and the Human Rights Act will be amended to remove or change the mandatory retirement provisions.

Eligibility for retirement under pension plans will not be affected by the legislation. The act will apply to rules on mandatory retirement ages that may be in collective agreements.

These amendments will not come into force until one year after proclamation of the act. This gives employers and employees time to make necessary changes such as revising human resources policies and implementing performance management standards.

Profs no longer forced to hang up tweed at 65
Keith Gerein

The Edmonton Journal
Saturday, March 24, 2007

U of A ends mandatory retirement policy that it once went to Supreme Court to protect

EDMONTON - The University of Alberta decided Friday it will no longer force professors to retire at age 65.

The decision by the school's board of governors is a recognition that many professors do their best work late in their careers, vice-provost Larry Beauchamp said.

By ending mandatory retirement, the U of A can hold on to its best people at retirement age and recruit top older scholars from other institutions, he said.

"We do have a lot of people in that age category who are still very productive," he said. "Many of them have major research grants, are working with large numbers of grad students and contributing to the university in every way."

Friday's decision came after several months of negotiation between administrators and the Association of Academic Staff. Association president David Johnson called the move "the fair thing to do," adding that most universities in Canada, including the University of Calgary, abolished mandatory retirement long ago.

"The notion that people are incapable of working after age 65 just isn't right," Johnson said. He noted that many retired academics are already continuing to work at the U of A part time because the university badly needs them to fill staffing holes.

The decision marks a sharp turnaround for U of A policy.

In the mid-1980s, Olive Dickason, a University of Alberta professor specializing in aboriginal history, was forced to step down from her job when she turned 65.

Dickason fought for years against the regulation and eventually took her case all the way to the Supreme Court of Canada. The high court ruled in 1992, however, that the university's age-based discrimination was reasonable and justifiable under the circumstances.

However, last year a task force was assigned to study the retirement issue after some older professors complained they were having to abandon important work once they hit 65.

When members reported back, they concluded that ending mandatory retirement would involve a one-time cost of $4 million and yearly cost-of-living increases of more than $100,000, because older professors make more money.

Beauchamp, however, believes the university's expenses will be less.

He said evidence from the United States shows that the average age of retirement at universities with mandatory retirement is 62.5. When those schools ended the policy, the average increased only slightly to 63.7.