quote:

Originally posted by SpinZone:
start the conversation with"I plan to retire next month" and see where it goes from there.

They will either:
-treat your decision with the respect 42 years deserve and settle on a date next month that works for you both.
-try to extend your retirement date to keep you longer which will be your choice.
-walk you out the door, in which case your goal of being retired have been met.

I like this approach. I would add there is an at least theoretical fourth scenario, in which they go nuts/crazy/vindictive but expect you to stay on.

In which case you can finish with, 'Well, as I said, I PLANNED to retire next month and wanted to give you a heads-up, but seeing as you're being irrational about this, I will just leave now."

Do you have sick/medical leave? Insurance?
If so, would you consider knee replacement surgery before retiring?
Would the lack of knee pain affect your retirement plans or status in the company?

Man, I cannot imagine working for somebody for 42 years and not being comfortable with sitting down with them in a casual/neutral location, and just talking this thing out! Tell them how you feel, and that you have no other choice at this stage of your life than to go your own way. If they care, and they should, maybe not about you but about your worth to the business, they just might make you an offer too good to turn down. But at least it is out on the table, and you've given them notice. I'd say, as a consequence of your long tenure that this should be more than the traditional two weeks. Maybe connect it to Christmas/New Years, in that you are giving yourself a Christmas present this year, the gift of retirement. Spending the rest of your time on the job "training your replacement" might be an option.

I have signed up for Medicare. Got my card. Should kick in this month. I look at it like a hockey player. I'll go until I can't go no more. Someone mentioned speak to HR. We don't have an HR department. Now sick time is another matter. When his daughter stepped in and took over the office I noticed my sick time went from almost 700 hours down to 35 hours in one pay period. I pointed this out and was told we'll cover you when you need it. I insisted those hours be restored and they were. I used 8 week for hernia surgery recovery a couple of years ago. Since that time I noticed I have 280 hours which is about right, but I haven't gained any for time worked. It just sits at 280 hours.

^^^^ Yeah, screw them. Retire pronto, if I were in your shoes.

I agree with Q, you don't owe them anything. As long as you're comfortable with your finances, end it sooner than later

Remember do not burn bridges.

If your employer balks at 280 hours sick/vaca pay, ask them if it is less expensive than lawyer fees.

quote:

Originally posted by ZSMICHAEL:
Remember do not burn bridges.

He's 65, they don't want him to come back, and more than likely want him gone now.

He's 65, is he going to need to cross that bridge again?

They have already started the bridge fire.

Two weeks tops, then out. Expect to get cut loose when you tell them two weeks. You already value them more than they value you. Injury=cooling relationship after 42 years? FO

Loyalty is one way in employer/employee relationships.

You want loyalty get a dog.

I’m viewing this a bit differently.

He’s worked there for several decades, and the daughter is now more involved with the business. He’s had several health issues, and they have been accommodating - 8 weeks off for a hernia, knee pain that limits his ability to do the job… Yet he is still employed.

I think this is a normal conversation, and let them show who they are. If you go in guns blazing, “I quit!”, you gain nothing and lose nothing; yet if you go and say “I think it’s about time I retire”, you give them the opportunity to make things right or wrong one last time. Either way, the outcome is the same, but your peace of mind is much better in the latter option.

Have your knee looked at by a DR before you do anything!!!!!!!!!

quote:

Originally posted by SpinZone:
You said "significant cooling" instead of hostile and when your knees started to act up they made accommodations for you so it doesn’t sound like the relationship has gone completely sour.

After 42 years, especially if your job has any significant responsibilities that need to be off loaded, once you are ready to walk out the door i would start the conversation with"I plan to retire next month" and see where it goes from there.

They will either:
-treat your decision with the respect 42 years deserve and settle on a date next month that works for you both.
-try to extend your retirement date to keep you longer which will be your choice.
-walk you out the door, in which case your goal of being retired have been met.

You win in each scenario and until you bring it up, you really don’t know how they will treat you.

This is the classy way to handle it, and it's what I'd recommend.

I'll share a "you never know" story. I'm managing a project in Texas' golden triangle and I really respected my chief inspector. He comes to my office one day, says he'd like to hire a retiree to be one of his inspectors, and I said yes as the proposed inspector's reputation preceded him in a positive manner. A few days later I took the team out for lunch, I end up seated next to the "new" inspector, and this is when I learned why he was back working after retiring. His wife of 36 years filed for divorce 6-weeks after he retired and he was looking down the barrel of losing half his pension, half his 401k, and losing his house. Turns out she liked him out of the house 12 hours per day and his big paycheck chock full of OT pay. I caught zero grief for having him on my team and frankly was lucky to have him as he had nearly 40 years experience and could outwork 20 year olds. A good example why it's good to have a sterling reputation, not to burn any bridges, and maintain good relationships with peers.

A) Could the cooling being that they know you need to retire, and no one’s had the conversation yet?

B) Screwing with your money is odd.

Payroll errors can happen/will happen - and we have done everything needed to to be sure people are covered - and she may not know how to set the system to calculate your sick time - but that’s an issue.

You've put in far more than most so I would give two weeks. No more.

When I retired from my old job after 24 years I gave 2 weeks and was asked to stay an extra week.

I did.

And they still sued me when I left.

quote:

Originally posted by Aglifter:
B) Screwing with your money is odd.

Payroll errors can happen/will happen - and we have done everything needed to to be sure people are covered - and she may not know how to set the system to calculate your sick time - but that’s an issue.

Not fixing errors is odd. Could be an honest lack of knowledge or could be she is a weasel who cannot be trusted.

My Dad only had 3 employers during his 42 year career. The last one was a family business and the owner lured my Dad away with a good salary with a bonus structure. The owner was a likable guy who treated people well such as taking out an ad in the local paper advertising he hired my Dad. After a few years, the owner decided to retire and leave his son as GM and his daughter in charge of accounting, payables, payroll, and HR. The son was a chip off the old block, treated people well, and grew the business 5x larger than when he took over. The daughter was nothing like her father, but instead was an absolute weasel who tried six ways from Sunday to screw my Dad out of the bonuses. The brother had to intervene multiple times to make sure my Dad got paid what he earned.

I wonder if the OP's female boss is like the daughter at the family business my Dad worked?

quote:

Originally posted by r0gue:
I guess I'd tell them I'm 65 now, and ready to hang it up, and work out an exit plan with them. It doesn't need to be complicated. Ask them what they want.

If they are back-filling, they may want to try to get someone on-boarded and have a few weeks of overlap. My assumption from what you've said (which could be wildly off, not knowing what you do) is that they'll not backfill and they'll shift the rest of your work to others.

I once worked for a family owned business (when I was just starting my career). It took me a few years, and I gained some valuable experiences, but I eventually determined that one should never work for a family-owned business unless your last name matches theirs. And maybe not even then.

Bingo. Family businesses are no place to make a living long term, unless you ARE the family business. I've talked with people who worked a long time for familty businesses, and they're so butt hurt after getting let go - boom. They never figured out they were just chattel before it was too late. Family businesses are ONLY for family and no one else. Don't blame them, it's the whole point of being one.

Get your knee fixed first then you can retire anytime after that. You gave them 42 of your best years.

quote:

Originally posted by SpinZone:
You said "significant cooling" instead of hostile and when your knees started to act up they made accommodations for you so it doesn’t sound like the relationship has gone completely sour.

After 42 years, especially if your job has any significant responsibilities that need to be off loaded, once you are ready to walk out the door i would start the conversation with"I plan to retire next month" and see where it goes from there.

They will either:
-treat your decision with the respect 42 years deserve and settle on a date next month that works for you both.
-try to extend your retirement date to keep you longer which will be your choice.
-walk you out the door, in which case your goal of being retired have been met.

You win in each scenario and until you bring it up, you really don’t know how they will treat you.

I don’t understand the significant cooling part either after 42 years of being there. We bring a lot of interpretations to any situation and it may be wrong.

Were you all chummy chummy for the first 40 years and suddenly they’re giving you the cold shoulder? Either they’re trying to give you space so you don’t quit or accommodating you is costing them a lot of productivity but they don’t know what to do. For your peace of mind, don’t read into anything. Just follow Spinzone’s advice.

You mentioned sick time not PTO/Vac. You might want to check but in most cases the balance of remaining sick time does not have to be paid out at end of employment unless you have it in contract or in the handbook.