Page 64 - increasing-the-value-of-age-guidance-in-employers-age-management-strategies

Increasing the value of age: guidance in employers’ age management strategies

young age cohorts (initial education and training) and the unemployed
(employment centres) limiting the access for (employed) older workers.
Several countries report on the right for guidance, although no specific
reference is made to older workers, since this right is universal for all citizens. A
relevant example in this respect is Sweden, with a long tradition in the provision
of public guidance services. In the 1940s employment offices started to offer
vocational guidance for their clients. The underlying principle has always been
that career counselling is an individual right should be free of charge and
available to as many groups as possible.
Germany also guarantees the right to guidance. The German social code
includes a general right for guidance in the social and the labour market sector.
The German system provides access to services in education guidance
(Bildungsberatung; in the education sector) and in vocational guidance
(Berufsberatung; in the vocational training and employment sector) for all citizens
at any stage of their lives: in education or training, employed, unemployed or
looking for continuing education.
Two important reforms were made in France towards a universal right to
guidance provision: the Law of February 2008 on the reform of the public
employment service (Loi No 2008-126) gave to Pôle emploi the task to inform
and guide active people (unemployed or employed); the Law of November 2009
on lifelong guidance and vocational training (Loi No 2009-1437) created a ‘public
lifelong guidance service’ to guarantee all persons access to free, full and
objective information on occupations, training, certification, job opportunities and
remuneration levels as well as to quality, networked guidance advisory and
assistance services.
Older workers are often defined as one of the vulnerable groups that need
specific attention in public employment services provision, such as guidance,
counselling, training, and placements. This does not mean that, despite such
classification, there are special measures targeted at older unemployed persons.
An example is Estonia, where older unemployed persons of 55 years up to
the pensionable age are listed as one labour market risk group in the labour
market services and benefits act. There are, nevertheless, no special measures
for only older unemployed persons; an individual plan is made for all unemployed
persons and labour market measures are offered based on their individual needs.
Some public employment services provide specific policies for older workers,
such as that in Denmark which is obliged to offer early activation to the
unemployed aged 60 and above. Another example is France, where the website

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