During its annual summit Wednesday, the Maine Council on Aging set a goal to eliminate ageism in the workplace, in media, and other sectors of Maine culture by 2032.
The council's executive director, Jess Maurer, says older people in Maine should be seen as valued community members — and a solution to the state's workforce challenges. But she says many employers are biased against older workers.
"Nationally, the number of organizations that include ageism in their diversity, equity, and inclusion work is very low," she says. "So that's a metric we already have and we're going to be looking to increase."
Maurer says the council will tackle ageism, in part, through targeted discussions with different business sectors, community leaders, and policymakers.
