AARP broadens Best Employers

PORTLAND – For more than a decade, AARP has recognized employers with progressive policies toward older employees – the AARP Best Employers for Workers Over 50 awards.

Now the nonprofit has staked out new territory, for the first time offering older workers an opportunity to directly recommend their employer for the prestigious honor. Once the brief recommendation form is filed, AARP will invite the employer to apply for the award.

In the past, AARP has conducted a broad search for outstanding employers, garnering as many as 200 or more applications for Best Employer designations.

This year, individual employees for innovative employers may go to aarp.org/mybestemployer, and file their recommendation. The deadline for employee recommendations is September 30, with the awards scheduled to be announced next year after an extensive vetting process.

“The Best Employers program has honored a diverse group of private sector, public sector and nonprofit employers for more than a decade,” said Lori Parham, AARP Maine State Director, in announcing the new initiative. “Bringing employees directly into the process should broaden the outreach even more.”

In another major Best Employers development, AARP is joining with the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), the world’s largest association devoted to human resource management, in sponsoring the program as it begins the application period for the 2013 search.

“We are delighted that SHRM will be joining us as we move forward with an important program that both identifies innovative employers and serves as a model for others seeking to better meet the needs of experienced workers,” said Parham.

“SHRM and its members have a unique perspective on employer policies around the country, a perspective that will help better pinpoint forward-looking practices,” Parham added.

AARP has independently produced the Best Employers program since 2001. Such varied organizations as Scripps Health of Southern California, a major hospital and health care provider, Cornell University and L.L Bean are among those that have been selected over the years. Last year, Cianbro Corporation of Pittsfield made the list.

The new joint effort is expected to increase the reach of the program by attracting more applications, and by sharing award winners’ best practices with a broader audience.

The Best Employers search examines organizations that offer policies and practices that appeal to workers 50 and over, including flexible work options, training opportunities, and competitive health and retirement benefits.

Any employer with at least 50 employees and headquartered in the United States is eligible to apply for the honor. This includes for-profit companies, not-for-profit organizations, educational institutions and local, state, and federal government agencies.

An independent research firm and a panel of judges comprised of national experts score applications. Final ranking is based on these scores after additional review.

Employers who offer progressive workplace policies that meet the needs of workers 50 and over should apply for the 2013 awards before November 12 at www.aarp.org/bestemployers or www.shrm.org/aarp.

Winners will be recognized at the annual SHRM conference in Chicago in June 2013.