By Susan Wood companies are balancing age bias, succession gaps and the value of long-earned expertise. A s rising costs and debt remain high, so does the number of As baby boomers postpone retirement, North Bay seniors in the job market — Sonoma County included, where more than a quarter of the population — over 485,000 people — has surpassed age 60. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, workers 65 and older are projected to grow by 8.6% by 2032. Yet pursuing employment later in life is not without challenges. Financial pressures and shifting workplace expectations can make the path forward difficult. To make ends meet in this volatile economic climate, many in this aging demographic punctuated by the baby boom following World War II between 1946 and 1964 have either postponed retirement or “unretired.” The term was coined as an economic trend borne, in part, out of the affordability issue. Many North Bay labor experts contend the trend underscores the need for employers to get on board with increased openness to recruiting seniors in their hiring practices, among other accommodations that could involve part-time, flexible schedules. Unlike other age groups in the working class, seniors sometimes face extra challenges when seeking a coveted position with an organization. “Ageism is a real thing,” North Bay Labor Council Executive Director Jack Buckhorn
22 NorthBaybiz
March | April 2026
Made with FlippingBook - Online catalogs