Are you past landing a job at 55? The reality of ageism despite labour shortages
From reporter Amanda Cropp:
For older job-seekers like Christine Black, the low unemployment rate has improved her odds of getting an interview.
The 61-year-old accountant recently got shortlisted for a call centre job, an improvement on five years ago when she applied for the same position and didn’t get a look in.
Being asked if you have any health issues or told you are over-qualified, (which she was for the call centre position), can be shorthand for “you’re too old,” and Black says ageism is still a problem.
“Somebody said to me ‘your life experience exceeds our expectations’ ... I know a lot of under-employed women between 50 and 65.”
A third of the workforce is over the age of 55, and the proportion working past retirement age has risen steadily.
In 2008, 15% of those aged 65-plus were employed, compared with just over 25% in 2022.
According to Stats NZ forecasts, by 2043 the labour force will have up to 386,000 people aged 65-plus, almost double the number in 2020.
The Human Rights Act prohibits discrimination on the basis of age, and unless it is a genuine qualification for a job – such as bar work – it can be unlawful for an employer to ask your age in a job interview.
Read the full story here.
We're talking new year resolutions...
Tidying the house before going to bed each night, meditating upon waking or taking the stairs at work.
What’s something quick, or easy, that you started doing that made a major positive change in your life?
Is now the time to change "The Garden City" Title?
Something to natter about over tonight's events.
Since the 2010/2011 Earthquakes, Christchurch has struggled to replicate or make a come-back to regain the "Garden City" title.
There are a large number of contributing factors, land and properties being destroyed and rendered inhabitable = gardens lost for many years or altogether, during the Chaos that followed, residents, businesses and the council had far greater priorities to worry about.
Now the dust has mostly settled, it is becoming more and more obvious that "The Garden City" title can never be lived up to again.
My observations are decisions are being made that are making it impossible:
Huge chunks of land are now mown wastelands, for exercising and dog walking.
Other areas have been converted into water retention/nature and wildlife reserves, none of the plans I have seen or heard, indicate a move back to a Garden City image.
Add to this that high-density housing is reducing the land to grow a garden on and the latest charging for water usage has had a visible effect on how people keep the berm outside their houses. Lots of the properties that are still intact for gardening are now rental properties and it is not hard to see which of those properties are as you drive around, but lots would not win the Garden Award.
I am not in favour or against any of the factors mentioned, I heard chch referred to as "The Garden City" and thought if we had to come up with a new name, what would we want it to be, that reflects a new Image?
Cathedral City is out
Cycle City.....
Wetland wonderland ......
Dog-Friendly City.
I hope you receive all that you deserve in 2025
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Poll: Would you rather: Christmas in summer forever or winter forever?
Just a bit of a fun poll to get you thinking.
If you had to live out your Christmas days, would you prefer it was a summer Christmas or a winter Christmas?
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62.8% Summer
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35.8% Winter
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1.4% Other - I'll share below
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