"Employment services are failing older people”: New study reveals that job seeker system PUNISHES older people instead of helping them
​

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, more and more businesses have had to shut down resulting in the rise of unemployment.

Job seekers are resorting to all means possible to find a job and if they are lucky, they might get an interview.

Unfortunately for older Aussies, searching for jobs can be extra difficult with the changing times as a new study reveals that older unemployed Australians are being hurt instead of helped by the restart of mutual obligations and demerit points for job seekers.

Anglicare Australia's recently released study, Asking Those Who Know, subjected over 600 Centrelink users — with more than 240 mature aged participants — in a series of interviews and a survey.

More than half of older Aussies said that they are pessimistic that they will get hired into paid work, with 82 per cent saying that their Centrelink activities are pointless. Credit: Northern Beaches Review.​

The results showed that job seeking for older people is much harder compared to younger people, with more than half of them saying that they are pessimistic that they will get hired into paid work — a huge margin compared to 15 per cent who are optimistic that they will secure a job in the future.

Meanwhile, 38 per cent said that they believe the social security system was designed to help them.

The majority of mature job seekers said that their Centrelink activities did not help them secure a job, with 82 per cent admitting that they think the activities were pointless and less than one in three saying that they felt the support from their government.

“It is time to start helping older people to find a job instead of punishing them with our current system”, said Anglicare Australia’s Executive Director Kasy Chambers.

Older people should be helped instead of being punished, according to Anglicare Australia Executive Director Kasy Chambers. Credit Getty Images.​

Chambers went on to say: "Employment services are failing older people. They are out of work for longer and longer periods, while being locked out of the activities they actually find useful. For example, people over 55 are not allowed to meet their obligations by caring for family members or volunteering."

"Instead, they are being pushed into busy work that they find pointless - meetings with Centrelink, appointments with Jobactive providers, busywork, and failing programs like Work for the Dole. At the same time, they are stuck on JobSeeker payments that are well below the poverty line."

"The stereotype is that JobSeeker payments are for younger people, but that's a myth. People over 55 are the largest age group on JobSeeker payments."

"Instead of re-starting mutual obligations after the pandemic, we should be scrapping them altogether. Our study shows they are not helping people get into work."

"We need to be lifting job seekers out of poverty. Older Australians should be planning for their future and their retirement, not getting stuck in poverty traps."

"And we need to give people the freedom to pick their own activities. Many of them already volunteer, and some told us they want to spend time caring for their families and grandchildren."

"These changes are urgent. If we don't fix this broken system, we will be forcing people to spend their older years doing pointless busywork and living in poverty."

What do you think of this study? Do you agree that the system is failing older Aussies?

 

[Tarlord69r]

My Wife & I are over 60 & do Voluntary work @ Bolten Clarke Caloundra for the Job Seeker payment. We struggle on the payment what a joke. We've both worked hard all our lives to be thrown on the S%@t pile. I sent away for over 40 jobs to be told I either have too much experience or too old. Something needs to be done!!!

 

[akasper]

It’s very sad at times. I often just get the brush off, being a single female, I get made to feel like I don’t really matter. My attitude is that if I can’t get a pension, then I should be working but there is no job for me, and I am a forgotten number going to Centrelink, getting less money waiting for a pension. Feels awful.

 

[moirtrevor]

I lost a well paid executive job in a Board battle when I was 52. I was given to an outplacement firm, who were no help at all except for getting typing done. I sent out over 200 applications and not one reply.This was 1995.I tried all my contacts and finally found one who gave me a job. Then I bought a franchise Travel Agency. Lots of fun but no money. Had a divorce, found a new partner and bought a Patisserie franchise. We had this business for 3 years , it was a good business, but physically hard on the older body, standing all day.
Then I decided to travel to China and Teach English. I am an Accountant by profession. So a crash course in ESL teaching and off for 8 years . I absolutely loved it.
Before going to China, I had started a group of unemployed or under employed mature aged people. We got a small amount of funding for a while from the Fed. Govt. but then it ran out.
My take on all this is: Employers are too lazy to advertise for staff and give it to Recruiters. The Recruitment Industry is full of "Frizzy Lizzies" under 35 yo who think anyone over 35 is 'ANCIENT" So mature aged people do not ever get interviews with prospective employers.
Sorry people but if you are over 50, you have no real chance.
Years ago there was an "affirmative action" law that made employers employ women and promote them, mature age people need this kind of help!

 

[Marshlad]

My (aged) husband died 3 years ago ... we were married for 38 years, I cared for him for the latter part of his life , yes I am younger than him by many years BUT Centrelink didnt even have the courtesy to formally inform me that I would no longer be entitled to wifes pension nor the widows pension...... they just stopped everything and I had to contact them to find out I had been put onto Jobseeker..... I have no skills but have managed to get volunteer work... every time I go into Centrelink I feel demoralised

 

[moirtrevor]

My (aged) husband died 3 years ago ... we were married for 38 years, I cared for him for the latter part of his life , yes I am younger than him by many years BUT Centrelink didnt even have the courtesy to formally inform me that I would no longer be entitled to wifes pension nor the widows pension...... they just stopped everything and I had to contact them to find out I had been put onto Jobseeker..... I have no skills but have managed to get volunteer work... every time I go into Centrelink I feel demoralised

So sad for you. You will never get any volunteered help from the Government. You should make yourself aware of what assistance there is available for your situation. Start with My Gov. Register and search. Also they are dozens of organisations you can join who offer assistance. There is one industry where people are badly needed, Aged Care. Seems you have experience in that.There are some agencies who provide jobs so search them.OR try contacting Aged Care providers themselves. A list of whom is on My Gov aged section, or the internet.
Good luck on your search.

 

[Maaaaaa]

"Employment services are failing older people”: New study reveals that job seeker system PUNISHES older people instead of helping them
​

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, more and more businesses have had to shut down resulting in the rise of unemployment.

Job seekers are resorting to all means possible to find a job and if they are lucky, they might get an interview.

Unfortunately for older Aussies, searching for jobs can be extra difficult with the changing times as a new study reveals that older unemployed Australians are being hurt instead of helped by the restart of mutual obligations and demerit points for job seekers.

Anglicare Australia's recently released study, Asking Those Who Know, subjected over 600 Centrelink users — with more than 240 mature aged participants — in a series of interviews and a survey.

More than half of older Aussies said that they are pessimistic that they will get hired into paid work, with 82 per cent saying that their Centrelink activities are pointless. Credit: Northern Beaches Review.​

The results showed that job seeking for older people is much harder compared to younger people, with more than half of them saying that they are pessimistic that they will get hired into paid work — a huge margin compared to 15 per cent who are optimistic that they will secure a job in the future.

Meanwhile, 38 per cent said that they believe the social security system was designed to help them.

The majority of mature job seekers said that their Centrelink activities did not help them secure a job, with 82 per cent admitting that they think the activities were pointless and less than one in three saying that they felt the support from their government.

“It is time to start helping older people to find a job instead of punishing them with our current system”, said Anglicare Australia’s Executive Director Kasy Chambers.

Older people should be helped instead of being punished, according to Anglicare Australia Executive Director Kasy Chambers. Credit Getty Images.​

Chambers went on to say: "Employment services are failing older people. They are out of work for longer and longer periods, while being locked out of the activities they actually find useful. For example, people over 55 are not allowed to meet their obligations by caring for family members or volunteering."

"Instead, they are being pushed into busy work that they find pointless - meetings with Centrelink, appointments with Jobactive providers, busywork, and failing programs like Work for the Dole. At the same time, they are stuck on JobSeeker payments that are well below the poverty line."

"The stereotype is that JobSeeker payments are for younger people, but that's a myth. People over 55 are the largest age group on JobSeeker payments."

"Instead of re-starting mutual obligations after the pandemic, we should be scrapping them altogether. Our study shows they are not helping people get into work."

"We need to be lifting job seekers out of poverty. Older Australians should be planning for their future and their retirement, not getting stuck in poverty traps."

"And we need to give people the freedom to pick their own activities. Many of them already volunteer, and some told us they want to spend time caring for their families and grandchildren."

"These changes are urgent. If we don't fix this broken system, we will be forcing people to spend their older years doing pointless busywork and living in poverty."

What do you think of this study? Do you agree that the system is failing older Aussies?

I totally agree with you. I have just lost my Part time job, which kept my head above
water to a younger staff member and find myself now unemployed at 65 years old. Having to look for employment once again is a very unpleasant thought, and a scary one, as we get older things we could once do are extremely hard to do now. So yes, I totally agree in what you are attempting to achieve, your study is one that should have been done a long time ago

 

[Xe]

Yeah, it's sad to think that companies don't want to hire older people because they fear they'll be retiring too soon... yet the younger people are job-hopping and not staying with one company for more than 3 or so years. If you ask me, the older folks are most likely to be the ones who'd stick around.

 

[Singomate]

"Employment services are failing older people”: New study reveals that job seeker system PUNISHES older people instead of helping them
​

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, more and more businesses have had to shut down resulting in the rise of unemployment.

Job seekers are resorting to all means possible to find a job and if they are lucky, they might get an interview.

Unfortunately for older Aussies, searching for jobs can be extra difficult with the changing times as a new study reveals that older unemployed Australians are being hurt instead of helped by the restart of mutual obligations and demerit points for job seekers.

Anglicare Australia's recently released study, Asking Those Who Know, subjected over 600 Centrelink users — with more than 240 mature aged participants — in a series of interviews and a survey.

More than half of older Aussies said that they are pessimistic that they will get hired into paid work, with 82 per cent saying that their Centrelink activities are pointless. Credit: Northern Beaches Review.​

The results showed that job seeking for older people is much harder compared to younger people, with more than half of them saying that they are pessimistic that they will get hired into paid work — a huge margin compared to 15 per cent who are optimistic that they will secure a job in the future.

Meanwhile, 38 per cent said that they believe the social security system was designed to help them.

The majority of mature job seekers said that their Centrelink activities did not help them secure a job, with 82 per cent admitting that they think the activities were pointless and less than one in three saying that they felt the support from their government.

“It is time to start helping older people to find a job instead of punishing them with our current system”, said Anglicare Australia’s Executive Director Kasy Chambers.

Older people should be helped instead of being punished, according to Anglicare Australia Executive Director Kasy Chambers. Credit Getty Images.​

Chambers went on to say: "Employment services are failing older people. They are out of work for longer and longer periods, while being locked out of the activities they actually find useful. For example, people over 55 are not allowed to meet their obligations by caring for family members or volunteering."

"Instead, they are being pushed into busy work that they find pointless - meetings with Centrelink, appointments with Jobactive providers, busywork, and failing programs like Work for the Dole. At the same time, they are stuck on JobSeeker payments that are well below the poverty line."

"The stereotype is that JobSeeker payments are for younger people, but that's a myth. People over 55 are the largest age group on JobSeeker payments."

"Instead of re-starting mutual obligations after the pandemic, we should be scrapping them altogether. Our study shows they are not helping people get into work."

"We need to be lifting job seekers out of poverty. Older Australians should be planning for their future and their retirement, not getting stuck in poverty traps."

"And we need to give people the freedom to pick their own activities. Many of them already volunteer, and some told us they want to spend time caring for their families and grandchildren."

"These changes are urgent. If we don't fix this broken system, we will be forcing people to spend their older years doing pointless busywork and living in poverty."

What do you think of this study? Do you agree that the system is failing older Aussies?

I found a few years ago, I was offered a contract to Refit Shipping Containers. Long story short, the Company that awarded me contract, even though I had limited experience, said you can't get anything better than life experience was sixty two.

 

[krimdad]

My mother couldn't find a job for a long time because of her age. Many HRs said she had already served her allotted time. And it's disgusting! They literally said to her that she was too old. She was accepted with joy when she called the company, using the number from the vacancy on Facebook. And that the company HR told her to come for an interview. But when they saw that she was 50, they didn't want to give her a job. The injustice for mature Australians is growing! As I know, she found her current position at Sarkari Result. The company where she now works needed good and experienced specialists like her.