AARP Collaborates with 11 Major Employers

Washington DC—AARP today announced the expansion of its “National Employer Team” program by collaborating with 11 additional major companies to help Americans aged 50 and over remain in the workforce as desired.

The new members of the National Employer Team are committed to an aggressive program of recruiting, hiring, and retaining mature workers. The companies are: Cendant Car Rental Group (Avis/Budget); Cingular Wireless; Comcast Cable Communications, Inc; CVS/pharmacy; Right at Home, In-Home Care & Assistance; News America Marketing; New York Life Insurance Company; Quest Diagnostics, Inc.; Schneider National, Inc.; SunTrust Banks, Inc.; and Verizon.

Right at Home has a 90 local offices located throughout the U.S., all of which will participate in the National Employer Team program.

“American business is facing a new reality,” AARP CEO Bill Novelli said. “As more and more workers reach traditional retirement age, there are not enough new workers to replace them. We are working with forward-thinking companies who value older workers to offset labor and knowledge gaps. This is a winning strategy for American business, for the older workers themselves and for our national economy,” he continued.
     
By 2010, almost one in three workers will be at least 50. As boomers begin to approach retirement age, the pool of replacement workers will not be large enough to meet employers’ labor demands. In working with AARP, National Employer Team members have recognized the need to prepare for the changing workforce, and are adapting human resource practices to address these demographic shifts.

Job seekers can visit AARP’s website - www.aarp.org/featuredemployers - to learn about each Natoinal Employer Team company, including types of skilled and non-skilled jobs available on the employers’ websites, benefits, and how to apply. The website provides a link to applications, instructions and additional information on each company.

Earlier this year, AARP announced the creation of the program by naming 13 companies as the first National Employer Team members. The new group of employers announced today join the following major names in business: Adecco; AlliedBarton Security Services; Borders Group, Inc.; Express Personnel Services; Johns Hopkins Health System; Kelly Services; Manpower Inc.; MetLife Inc.; Pitney Bowes; Principal Financial Group; Universal Health Services; Walgreens, and The Home Depot, the premier member of the program.

Immediately following the February launch and continuing throughout the year, hundreds of thousands of inquiries have been received from AARP members and others interested in employment. In the first month of the program, the AARP National Employer Team web site received over 100,000 hits; the site has averaged over 30,000 hits per month in the ensuing months. Participating companies also are experiencing significant interest; some of the companies have received thousands of inquiries following the February event. And while AARP has now designated 24 companies as National Employer Team members, over 500 companies have contacted AARP seeking to participate in the program.

Deborah Russell, Director, Economic Security, said, “By working with these leading businesses to understand current workforce trends, AARP is able to empower members and other older job seekers by providing them with the information they need to make informed choices.”

AARP is a nonprofit, nonpartisan membership organization that helps people 50+ have independence, choice and control in ways that are beneficial and affordable to them and society as a whole. We produce AARP The Magazine, published bimonthly; AARP Bulletin, our monthly newspaper; AARP Segunda Juventud, our bimonthly magazine in Spanish and English; NRTA Live & Learn, our quarterly newsletter for 50+ educators; and our website, www.aarp.org. AARP Foundation is an affiliated charity that provides security, protection, and empowerment to older persons in need with support from thousands of volunteers, donors, and sponsors. We have staffed offices in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

Right at Home offers in-home supportive care and assistance to aging adults and others to help them continue to live independently. Right at Home directly employs all direct care provider staff, is bonded and insured, and carefully pre-screens all caregivers prior to their entering a client’s home. All ongoing care is monitored and supervised by local independent owners. Some offices provide skilled nursing care, as well. Right at Home’s national office is based in Omaha, NE, with franchise offices throughout the United States. For more information on Right at Home, visit the company’s Web site at www.rightathome.net.