Employ Older Workers Week

WHEREAS, America is witnessing a dramatic growth in its population of those 55 or older, a trend that will continue well into the 21^st century; and

WHEREAS, the graying of our population has already had a profound effect on public policy and will continue to help shape and affect the dynamics of our society; and as our population continues to age, older workers will play an increasingly important role in maintaining our economy and America’s leadership in the world marketplace; and

WHEREAS, Americans ages 55 and older are a dedicated and experienced core of our workforce; their contributions to the nation, as paid workers and volunteers in both the private and public sectors, are immeasurable; and

WHEREAS, though Americans ages 55 and older represent one of our nation’s greatest resources, challenges still exist for their full integration into the nation’s workforce; and

WHEREAS, in this new era, we are witnessing the blurring of the line of demarcation that has distinguished productive work years from those of retirement; and

WHEREAS, given the complexity and challenges of the emerging millennium, this country must adopt new policies and initiatives to encourage older persons to continue to use their unique combinations of knowledge, skills, insight and experience as a part of the U.S. workforce for the betterment of us all:

NOW, THEREFORE, I, Robert Bentley, Governor of Alabama, do hereby proclaim September 22 through September 28, 2013, as

Employ Older Workers Week

in the state of the Alabama and urge employers to recognize older workers as vital to meeting the challenges of the 21^st century.  I encourage public officials responsible for job placement, training and related services to intensify their efforts throughout the year to help older workers locate and obtain available training and employment.