GAO Reports on How One-Stop Career Centers or Linking Employers and Older Workers

The U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO) has issued a report looking at the U.S. Department of Labor's (DOL's) actions to help one-stop career centers link employers and older workers and at the actions of the centers to help employers hire and retain older workers. According to "Most One-Stop Career Centers Are Taking Multiple Actions to Link Employers and Older Workers", most one-stops took multiple actions to link employers and older workers; one-stop officials identified some actions as most effective, such as training staff to assist older workers, and often used multifaceted approaches.

The GAO notes that several factors, such at the local economy and how workers' skills match with employers needs, might affect what actions one-stops take to serve older workers and that one factor--the performance measure tracking participants' earnings--might create disincentives for serving older workers who are more likely to work part-time, which provides lower wages. Accordingly, GAO recommends that DOL assess the potential for such disincentives.

Source: U.S. Government Accountability Office Report Summary of GAO-08-548 (April 21, 2008)