Ask the expert: Default retirement age

This week the experts, Adam Partington and Esther Smith, advise on how to deal with retiring workers.

The question: Default retirement age

We have a default retirement age of 65 and follow the usual procedures of writing to staff approaching retirement. The organisation has to date accepted every request for staff to remain at work but there is an increasing view that they would like some guidance on how to turn down some requests for posts that will continue.

I would like to make our policy more explicit to indicate why we may in some circumstances reject application to remain in post (I am aware we don't have to give a reason). Can anyone share with me some detail they use for this and how they have handled the perceived feelings of rejection from affected staff?

The posts in the main will continue as is but there is a growing feeling that in some areas we are keen to encourage new skills into the organisation, to benefit those seeking employment in our local community and to encourage internal succession moves.

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