To link retirement to skills, not age

In many workplaces in this country, older people are forced to retire earlier than they would like due to regulations on retirement. Age-related criteria regarding retirement have no place in the society we live in. It is an acknowledged fact that today people live longer and that many people around their seventies are still fully capable of doing their work without difficulty. We do no favours to older people and the labour market as a whole with such age-related criteria.

Framsókn wants competency to determine retirement

Numerous individuals have a great deal to offer despite being over seventy. People do not lose their experience, knowledge, education, nor diligence on a certain birthday. With the rules in place today, we are denying those individuals, who still want to go out of the house, participate in society and the labour market, meet people and colleagues, and earn income (which is sometimes greatly needed). Furthermore, the labour market loses workforce that is still valuable.

One of Framsókn's key issues for the upcoming parliamentary elections is to abolish the rules that require people to retire or stop working at a certain age. Those who want to remain active in the labour market should have the opportunity if both the employees and the employers wish so. Discussions about retirement should take place between the employer and the employee, not within the state's legislation.

For older people to work without restrictions

Along with this, Framsókn emphasises that retirees should be allowed to work as they wish without restrictions in the social security system. Framsókn emphasises that the general earned income allowance should gradually increase and that pension reductions due to employment income should be abolished. Many retirees still have a burning desire to work but do not see its value given the current restrictions they face. In addition, there is an urgent need for additional income for many retirees. We should not let older people pay the price for their diligence.

Halla Signý Kristjánsdóttir

The author is a member of parliament for Framsókn and is in 3rd place on the party list in the Northwest constituency

The article first appeared on skessuhorn.is on 15 September 2021.