TEN40-07acc.pdf

ETA Advisory File Text

EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION U.S. DEPARTMENT OF LABOR WASHINGTON D.C. 20210 NO. 40 -07 TRAINING AND EMPLOYMENT NOTICE DATE May 12 2008 TO ALL STATE WORKFORCE LIAISONS ALL STATE WORKFORCE AGENCIES ALL STATE ONE-STOP CENTER SYSTEM LEADS ALL STATE AND LOCAL WORKFORCE INVESTMENT BOARDS FROM THOMAS M. DOWD s Administrator Office of Policy Development and Research SUBJECT Release and Availability of ETA Report Assessment of Strategies to Retain Experienced Technical and Professional Healthcare Personnel after Retire ment Age 1. Purpose . To announce the release and the availability of the report Assessment of Strategies to Retain Experienced Technical and Professional Healthcare Personnel af ter Retirement Age. 2. Background . The healthcare system in the United States faces a critical shortage of skilled workers particularly in nursing and other allied health fields such as radiology respiratory therapy physical therapists and laboratory technicians. This worker shortage is due in large part to the aging of the baby boom generation as a significant segment of the healthcare workforce nears retirement age. While there are a number of efforts underway to expand the pool of potential candidates for such positions there is a concern that recruitment efforts will be insufficient to meet the projected demand. The U.S. Department of Labor Employment and Training Administration ETA awarded a grant to the State of Maryland Department of Labor Licensing and Regulation in partnership with Johns Hopkins Hospital Cedars-Sinai Health System and Hospital Corporation of America to conduct this research. The primary objective of the research was to determine strategies that could be implemented to improve the retention of nurses and allied health workers who are approaching retirement. 3. Findings . Over the course of approximately four months twenty-one 21 focus groups were conducted among four segments of mature healthcare workers over the age of 50. The report describes strategies that could be implemented to improve the retention of nurses and allied health workers who are approaching retirement. Some of the findings are as follows Many current healthcare workers want or need to continue to work because 1 they find their work to be challenging and personally rewarding 2 they realiz e they need to accumulate more retirement savings before they can afford to retire or 3 the cost of health care coverage requires them to continue working. Many mature workers do not feel valued or appreciated by the hospitals they wo rk in both in terms of compensation and treatment in the workplace. Mature workers perceive that hospitals give younger workers preferential treatment and have few retention efforts in place for older workers. Although many may want to continue working the possibility of injury or loss of physical capacity due to aging as well as the mental demands of their jobs often dictate how long older employers will be able to continue working. Mature workers do not feel that hospitals are doing enough to make part-time employment available or more attractive. In addition some hospitals do not offer health care benefits to their part-time staff and for hospitals that do the out-of-pocket costs for health insurance are higher for part-time workers. Some incentives or conditions revealed by the study that employers could offer that would encourage older employees to continue working include Financial incentives such as salary adjustments for experience retention bonuses or an increase in employer matching contributions. Flexible scheduling such as part-time employment reduced schedules or paid time off. Better health care benefits for part-time workers. According to the report one very strong theme that emerged from the focus groups was the feeling among many older workers of not being valued appreciated respected or not being paid at a level commensurate with their years of experience. The report encourages hospital s to find ways to show older employees that their experience and years of service are valued. 4. Availability . To view an abstract of this publication or to download the full report or executive summary as a PDF visit the ETA Occasional Paper series Web site at http wdr.doleta.gov research keyword.cfm . To request a hard copy of this publication please write the Dissemination Team Division of Policy Legislation and Regulations Office of Policy Development and Research Employment and Training Administration U.S. Department of Labor 200 Constitution Avenue NW Room N5641 Washington D.C. 20210 or call the publication order line at 202 69 3-3666.