Global Tamilian: No mandatory age to retire in the US

But either way, the picture is not relevant for those living in America. In fact, for many Americans, 50-plus could be just the age that one mulls on choosing a new and alternative career path. No kidding. In the US there is no mandatory retiring age for people at work.

Not just for political postings or private business enterprise, but to every profession, be it government or non-government space, there is no mandatory age to retire. So, you need not be a ‘Trump’ or ‘Warren Buffet’ to sit in the cosy work chairs when over 80 years of age. Just being one in the common herd is good enough qualification to carry the work bags for every morning commute!

So, what does this mean to an Indian immigrant living in the US? Besides enjoying the feel of being wanted and economically contributing, one has also got to keep fit to drive to work, be it cold winters and icy roads or hot roasting summers; be able to read those official files with 20/20 vision with or without glasses and feel not so sleepy in the afternoons; be cognitively eligible and able to take those confident walk without the aid of walking sticks; keep abreast with the technological gadgets, and most importantly feel young all the time. Sounds a deal but for how long. As long as it takes to qualify for the full social security benefits,it is a story for many.

In the 60s and 70s, mandatory retirement was practised quite commonly in the US as well. However, things changed in 1978 when the Congress outlawed mandatory retirement before the age of 70 and in 1986, mandatory retirement wasabolished altogether.

The main reason for abolishing compulsory retirement was the fact that social security did not have sufficient funds to cover all those retiring. It was soon seen that elderly employees were not being promoted and there was still elderly unemployment. This started a debate on the efficiency and morallegitimacy of the Act.

A new protection was thus added that bans employers with 20 or more employees from using an employee’s age as a criterion for not hiring or discharging a person. Government employees, labour organisations and employment agencies are covered under the Act. This is just so much a respite for the ageing population that would want to keep to working at least until attaining eligibility age for claiming the socialsecurity benefits.

Eligible age to qualify for benefits is 62 and for full benefits, it pays to push beyond 66 years and still, to maximize the benefits it’s worth the wait until 70 years. But for many Indian immigrants, besides the benefits, work provides the necessary engagement to beat the loneliness in a foreign land with no extended families around.

“Job at 60-plus is certainly a feel-good factor to escape from the loneliness at home. With my kids living on their own and my wife passing away ten years ago, retirement could be a punishment to cope with, particularly with no extended families here and restrictive activities that can engage my old-age interests. Work is a good diversion,” feels 69-year-old Rajamohan Chelliah.

“I started to work at 52 with this private tax consultant after my two kids went to college. The thought that I will have to be back home to be alone is not what I want for myself,” feels Rina Mukherjee in her early sixties who came to the US in her twenties.

Many continue to work in spite of not feeling relevant at the workplace for the reason that the compensation package can be really attractive when the employer lays off one.

“The value for the life here is very high, be it twenties or seventies. For instance, when my father had a fall and broken his hip, the doctors in India had to say that rectifying surgery was not recommended due to his age and suggested the natural process of healing. And back here I saw my uncle in his seventies had a similar injury, and the US doctors just said, ‘He has more life to live and let’s operate and fix it’. Here the outlook is for a longer life span and not just write off the seventy-plus as being closer to the grave,” observed Manikantan Raja.

“Fitness consciousness is another striking feature for the seventy-plus population here. My seventy-plus dad in India thinks his age is an excuse to skip walking every morning, while back in the US I see all the seventy-plus grannies doing jumping jacks and lifting five-pound kettlebells with ease at the gym just before going to work. Many of them are Indians,” notes Ramya Rajender.

Being able to go out to work makes all the difference and to keep one ever work-ready is the key to get there. Currently, the Indian diaspora in the US is predominantly in the middle age group and we have to wait to watch how the retirement life will be handled at large. But certainly, life here is not short to fix an end date for work or entertainment. The fun seems to be eternal!

— The writer is ajournalist based in New York