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DRA Debate - July 2009

Along with Personnel Today we held a default retirement age debate at the end of July 2009.

The motion was: 'Is a default retirement age an excuse for avoiding performance management?'

The government announced this year that it has brought forward a review of the current retirement age to next year. A decision in the long-running Heyday challenge to the DRA is also expected in the coming months following a case at the High Court.

This means that the picture around compulsory retirement will soon be clearer for employers, and they have to start preparing for the end of the DRA.

What do employers think of the retirement age, how is it being used and what are the alternatives?

Panellists were:

  • Denise Keating, chief executive, Employers Forum on Age
  • David Yeandle, head of employment policy, EEF
  • Mandy Ferries, head of HR, JD Wetherspoon
  • Kerry Bigwood, HR officer, Epwin Group

The debate was chaired by Financial Times columnist Stefan Stern.