NEW YORK STATE — In a joint effort to support older workers across New York State, the state Department of Labor (NYSDOL) and the Office for the Aging (NYSOFA) announced the launch of a new resource page designed to help older adults overcome barriers to employment. 

Developed with the U.S. Department of Labor’s National Employ Older Workers Week and New York Gov. Kathy Hochul’s state plan for aging, the tool offers guidance and resources for older workers looking to remain in or reenter the workforce.

Earlier this year, NYSOFA released the results of its Comprehensive Community Assessment Survey of Older Adults, which yielded over 27,000 responses from New Yorkers aged 60 and older. According to the survey, 24 percent of older adults rated employment as an area of concern (ranking it third among 17 broader areas), affecting an estimated 1,094,831 older adults. 

According to the survey, approximately 19 percent of older adults are working full-time, 11 percent are working part-time and 3 percent are unemployed but looking for paid work, with the remainder answering that they are fully retired.

The resource page provides job search assistance, reskilling and upskilling opportunities, and information on navigating workplace age discrimination. 

Older adults will also find supportive services such as job training, career coaching and flexible employment options aimed at addressing the unique challenges they face. 

Older adults play a significant role in today’s labor market, particularly as employers seek skilled and reliable workers in an evolving economic landscape, according to the state.

For more information and to access the new resource page, visit www.dol.ny.gov/older-adult-workers.