Forced retirement

Q ) I am nearly 60 and I still enjoy being a nurse. However, my practice manager has been suggesting that it might be time I retired and let a new younger nurse take my job. Can my employer make me retire at 60?

I am always thrilled when I speak with nurses who are still delivering compassionate care to their patients, no matter how many years they have worked. I am also disappointed when I hear of managers ignoring the dedication and service of our nursing professionals.

There is no longer a normal retirement age. Even if you originally signed a contract which had a retirement age in it, your employer can only rely on that if they can justify it. In your case, you are doing your job well, so there is no way you can be made to retire at 60. If your manager continues to raise this, I believe their actions amount to age discrimination. If they forced you to leave, it would be automatic unfair dismissal.