My boss wants to work past retirement age

[plumpylumpydumpy]

Her financial situation is not great, so she's doing it out of need rather than want and I've already had to have a talk with her about her behaviour.
I feel it comes from resentment but obviously don't really know.
She's flaky and forgetful and we work with volunteers and I feel she puts them off with her abrasive personality.
There's been some health and safety issues arising from her forgetfulness and impulsive behaviour.
Obviously, no volunteer has to put up with it for absolutely no pay and I feel everyone should be having a good time.
I need to talk to our senior manager and ask what protection they will put in place if she becomes not up to the job. We've already spoken about a few issues and she didn't seem surprised with what I said but it was finally resolved with me having a really firm word with my manager and saying I won't be putting up with her over critical attitude towards me or anyone else working for us. She constantly nit picks but there's nothing wrong with anything anyone does. It just seems to be to try and give the impression that the place can't run without her.
I feel I need to say that someone needs to keep an eye on the situation but also feel it's an occupational health type thing rather than me having to negotiate with her because she possibly can't cope and it MIGHT be age related.
It's really annoying for me as after many, many years of working in a completely different industry, I feel I've found my true calling but these issues are spoiling it somewhat.
Am I within my rights to ask the company to take responsibility for the situation and consider the issues of her continuing to work? I feel a bit horrible about it.

[Hoppinggreen]

She’s your boss, it’s not your place to manage her.
Report your concerns and if she treats you badly address it with her in a professional manner.
Eye on her job if she retires OP?

[AnyFucker]

I feel a bit horrible about it.

Aye, do you ?

[ChristmasScrooge]

It's not your place to manage her, she's your boss not the other way round.
If you have any concerns bring them up politely with her, if that fails then HR. However it really does sound like you just want her job more than anything and I'd be careful as others will be picking that up too which won't go in your favour.

[plumpylumpydumpy]

I've given some thought to wether I would like her job (obviously it would be an opportunity) but it completely goes against the part of my job I love, which is the hours, so no, it won't be for me.
Also, it's ridiculously low paid so we are not talking big bucks in either position and I am absolutely not in it for the money. It's a charity and it was just something I wanted to do later in life when pay wasn't such an issue for me.
I got made redundant from a high paid job which I'd been in since I was a teenager!

[Partyowl]

You’re right to feel a ‘bit horrible’ about it.
Approaching retirement myself - and haven’t got any choice but to continue working. Do I feel resentful - you betcha. Circumstances that were completely unexpected have meant that I’ll need to keep on the treadmill for the foreseeable.
You don’t sound like a particularly sympathetic soul OP.

[qualitygirl]

Is it in her contract that she has to retire at a certain age...in my workplace we can only stay until 65.

But I agree with pp it's got nothing to do with you @plumpylumpydumpy

[ThePoisonousMushroom]

Many people have to work past retirement age now got financial reasons. That really is none of your business.
If you have issues with her performance and behaviour, report them through the relevant channels. As you should have done before you considered her too old to work.

[5zeds]

You need to address your concerns about her work not her age/plans which aren’t your business.

[Hoppinggreen]

Ok, that makes sense,
You were in a high paid job, presumably with quite a lot of responsibility.
Now you aren’t and even though you might really love your new job it’s completely different and it’s no longer your remit to worry about or manage the organisation as a whole.
Take a HUGE step back and just focus on your own job

[Bramshott]

As retirement age is increasing in the coming years we are all going to have to get used to working for longer and working with older colleagues.

[NeedsCharging]

Wow.

Just so you know I am reporting your post for blatant ageism OP.

From what you have said it sounds like a personality/management issue not an age issue.
You have informed her manager of the issues so you need to let them deal with it.

You need to stop focusing on her age being the reason she cannot do her job as you could be accused of bullying as age is a protected characteristic.

[BobbieT1999]

@ThePoisonousMushroom

Many people have to work past retirement age now got financial reasons. That really is none of your business.
If you have issues with her performance and behaviour, report them through the relevant channels. As you should have done before you considered her too old to work.

Well said.

[plumpylumpydumpy]

I feel sorry for her but also I've come into the job completely prepared to support her and genuinely be loyal but she just makes it so difficult.
Up until the point I made a stand, every day I worked with her, there were comments about what had been done wrong but they hadn't been done by me!
I've found it quite wearing.
I'm not interested in any sort of credit or oneupmanship or whatever it seems to be. I just want to enjoy the job I really like.

[ThePoisonousMushroom]

@plumpylumpydumpy

I feel sorry for her but also I've come into the job completely prepared to support her and genuinely be loyal but she just makes it so difficult.
Up until the point I made a stand, every day I worked with her, there were comments about what had been done wrong but they hadn't been done by me!
I've found it quite wearing.
I'm not interested in any sort of credit or oneupmanship or whatever it seems to be. I just want to enjoy the job I really like.

And are any of those issues age related?

[PersonaNonGarter]

Any good employee manages up as well as down.

You are absolutely within your rights to address her behaviour. I would be careful about tying it so closely to retirement though as it comes across as ageist. Maybe just deal with the issue of her being a bit of a bitch.

[NeedsCharging]

I feel sorry for her

Why?

[FestiveMayo]

When you say retirement age do you mean the age at which she can access her pension? Or does your employer's contract specify they must leave at a certain age?

Someone can work for as long as they like or need to. The company can go through their formal capability procures of they feel they need to. But it is not your role to manage this.

[plumpylumpydumpy]

Because she doesn't really want to be where she is but also that is not my fault.
I am the dog she kicks when she's feeling down.

[Trisolaris]

Anyone can work past retirement age as long as there are no mandatory retirement ages - and even then those can be challenged if they are not found to be for justifiable reasons.

If there are capability or performance issues that really is for her manager to sort out.

If she is unpleasant to you, that’s what grievance processes are for.

[GoGoGretaDoll]

There's no such thing as 'retirement age' for many, many hundreds of thousands of people any more. Given my age, I don't expect to get my state pension till I'm 70. Which depresses me more than I can say.

You need to take the ageism out of your issues. Nothing you've said is 'because she's old'. Use the proper performance management channels (which will be grievance given she's your boss I think) but if you make it about her age, you won't be listened to - because it isn't about her age!

[FestiveMayo]

Focus on the behaviour not her age and be careful not to link the two or you are discriminating.

[Marmight]

@qualitygirl
Employers can no longer make you retire at 65. It falls foul of the age discrimination regulations.
If they do, they may find themselves dealing with an unfair dismissal claim

[FestiveMayo]

@plumpylumpydumpy

Because she doesn't really want to be where she is but also that is not my fault.
I am the dog she kicks when she's feeling down.

Then this is what you need to address

[ThePoisonousMushroom]

@plumpylumpydumpy

Because she doesn't really want to be where she is but also that is not my fault.
I am the dog she kicks when she's feeling down.

Then use the appropriate channels to deal with that. I assume she behaved the same the day before she hit what you consider ‘retirement age’ as she did the day after?

[NeedsCharging]

Because she doesn't really want to be where she is but also that is not my fault.
I am the dog she kicks when she's feeling down.

Oh stop being dramatic!
You say she is mentioning things that are wrong/have not being done properly in her view. That's hardly kicking you.

Maybe she has the measure of you and sees you as a back stabber or you are undermining her with the volunteers?