for a rural school district that has a critical shortage of qualified individuals with specific experience , skills , or qualifications that the service retiree has .” The bill would make this program permanent , add school nurses and paraprofessionals to those eligible for post-PERA retirement full-time employment and allow charter schools or a board of cooperative services to participate in the program that are in a rural school district . Given the extreme shortage of teachers in rural areas , this policy would benefit the education system , older adults seeking work , children , and the economy . HB22- 1101 has passed out of the legislature and is waiting for Governor Polis ’ signature .
HB22-1057 , Public Employees ’ Retirement Association ( PERA ) Employment After Teacher Retirement also aims to decrease the stress of substitute teacher shortages the state is facing . Without this bill , PERA “ limits the number of days that a retired teacher can work as a substitute teacher .” HB22-1057 would temporarily remove the limits that exist for qualified service retirees in any school district or charter school . This bill has passed out of
the Colorado legislature and is waiting for the Governor ’ s signature .
Another bill focused on the aging workforce is HB22-1035 , the Modernization Of The Older Coloradans ’ Act which proposes several updates to the “ Older Coloradans ’ Act .” The bill is seeking to reorganize the Colorado Commission on Aging to involve more older Coloradans voices , appoint a representative from the Colorado Department of Human Services to be a liaison for the Commission , and create a technical advisory committee of state agency representatives to oversee the implementation of the strategic plan . HB22-1035 has passed out of the legislature and is awaiting the Governor ’ s signature . The second bill in the current legislative session is HB22-1209 , Sunset Strategic Action Planning Group On Aging . The bill would “ implement the recommendation of the department of regulatory services ’ sunset review and report concerning the strategic action planning group on aging by repealing the group .” HB22- 1209 remains under consideration in the Colorado legislature .
Policymakers could also get involved in strengthening and fine tuning the age discrimination laws that exist in Colorado ’ s workforce . As The Bell Policy Center noted in their “ Actionable Aging Policy Agenda ,” policymakers should update age discrimination laws , so employers are required “ to remove age-identifying information on applications ; increase compensation for victims of age discrimination ; and mirror the introduced federal Protecting Workers Against Age Discrimination Act .” Implementing these changes in workforce laws would make aging workers more comfortable in the workplace and provide a more inclusive environment for all employees .
Karen Brown is the CEO and Ambassador of iAging and Aging 2.0 Denver Chapter , and Past Chair of the Strategic Action Planning Group on Aging .
36 | TRENDS APRIL 2022 www . aamdhq . org