What Older Workers Should Request Before Retirement

As retirement draws closer, one particular discussion with an employer can shape pay, working patterns and even the leaving date.

A new set of rules for older workers is changing how the final stage of a career should be negotiated within businesses. Rather than making last-minute decisions, the law encourages - and in some cases requires - a structured discussion between employee and employer before the first retirement payment reaches the worker’s bank account.

What older workers should request before leaving the company

The key point is straightforward: a worker approaching retirement should request, in writing, a “career-end interview” with HR or their manager. This meeting is not merely a formality. It establishes how the final working years will look, including hours, the option of part-time work, phased retirement, adapted duties and even a likely timetable for leaving.

“Requesting this specific meeting, documenting the request and keeping the records becomes a form of insurance against rushed decisions at the end of a career.”

In many European countries, following the 2025 reform referred to in the source text, this discussion became compulsory for employers, usually when workers are between 58 and 59. Although Brazilian legislation is not identical, the principle of protecting the final stage of a career offers a practical reference for people working there: do not wait for retirement to “fall from the sky”; negotiate the route towards it.

Why this new type of interview exists

Traditionally, companies have already held two formal discussions: the annual performance review and, in some cases, the so-called career interview, which focuses on development and training. For older workers, the new element is a third meeting dedicated entirely to the transition into retirement.

This discussion does not replace the others; it is an additional one. Its purpose is to address issues that rarely feature in ordinary appraisals, including:

• Retaining employment at an older age;
• Adjustments to working hours and duties;
• The option of reducing hours while supplementing income;
• Planning a gradual departure rather than an abrupt exit.

Under French law, for instance, this meeting must be held during the two years before a worker’s 60th birthday, precisely to prevent rushed decisions. Even for those in Brazil, the same approach is worth adopting: at around 58 or 59, it is time to invite the employer to talk and put intentions on record.

What must be covered in this compulsory discussion

Working hours and the end of a career

The career-end interview has one main aim: determining how the worker can remain in good-quality employment until retirement without becoming physically or mentally exhausted.

The agenda should include points such as:

• The possibility of moving to part-time work with proportionate pay;
• Allocating tasks that are less physically demanding or less high-pressure;
• Training for duties better suited to the worker’s age;
• Hybrid or remote working where the role allows it;
• Rebalancing targets and responsibilities.

“This meeting is the time to align expectations: what the company needs, what the employee can - and wishes to - continue contributing, and for how long.”

Likely retirement timetable

The timetable is another central part of the discussion. In many situations, workers themselves are unclear about the best date on which to retire. This is where all relevant matters should be considered:

• The age at which the social security benefit can be claimed;
• The effect of working one, two or three more years on the level of income;
• Personal plans, such as moving city, caring for relatives or beginning new projects.

With this information, the company and employee can arrange replacements, knowledge transfer and even the older worker’s involvement in training new staff.

The role of phased retirement

The source text refers to a measure that is becoming increasingly significant: phased retirement. Rather than stopping work all at once, the professional cuts their hours and starts receiving part of the retirement benefit, combining it with their salary.

In France, since 2023, an employer has been unable to reject such a request without a sound justification. It must show, for example, that the change would affect service continuity or that there is a specific difficulty in recruiting someone to cover the remaining hours.

In Brazil, the legislation differs, but the concept of a gradual transition has been appearing in collective agreements, voluntary redundancy programmes and internal policies. Whatever the circumstances, the message remains the same: the older worker needs to state their position, make a formal request and retain every response from the employer.

Why everything should be recorded in writing

For someone close to retirement, memory alone is not enough. Keeping emails, letters, meeting-confirmation messages and even notes from conversations can help to:

• Prove that the interview request was made in good time;
• Show that phased retirement or part-time hours were requested;
• Demonstrate an employer’s potentially unjustified refusal;
• Strengthen negotiations in a future employment claim or trade-union mediation.

“The golden rule is simple: what is not recorded risks never having existed, from a legal perspective.”

Main points to take to the meeting

To make planning the discussion easier, it is useful to prepare a short personal outline. Here is an example of points that can be taken to a meeting with HR:

Topic	Key question
Working hours	Can I gradually reduce my working hours until retirement?
Role	Is it possible to move into a less demanding or more strategic role?
Timetable	How does the company view my remaining period of employment and my likely leaving date?
Replacement	Will I take part in training the person who will take over my duties?
Phased retirement	Is there an internal policy or agreement covering gradual retirement or part-time work?

Terms requiring attention and practical examples

Two concepts frequently cause uncertainty: “phased retirement” and “retention in employment”. Phased retirement is a model in which the worker remains employed on fewer hours while receiving part of their social security benefit. “Retention in employment”, meanwhile, covers practical steps intended to prevent an older worker from being pushed out of a company prematurely, such as ergonomic adjustments, redeployment and more flexible targets.

Consider a 59-year-old bank employee with more than three decades of branch experience. She asks for a career-end interview. At the meeting, she negotiates a reduction to a four-day working week, while retaining specialist customer-service responsibilities and supporting the training of new employees. Her income is supplemented by the first retirement payments, and her full departure is planned for age 63. The company retains accumulated knowledge for longer and has time to train the person who will take over her client portfolio.

Now consider a 58-year-old maintenance technician whose back and knees have suffered physical strain. During the interview, he asks to move gradually into inspection, supervision and training work involving less physical effort. If the employer refuses without any plausible justification, the documented refusal may carry weight in a potential dispute, particularly in countries that already have specific rules for older workers.

Risks of ignoring this right and the benefits of acting early

When workers allow this opportunity to pass, they face several tangible risks: an abrupt departure, temporary loss of income due to poor planning, difficulty adapting after retirement and even worsening mental health because of the feeling of a sudden break.

By contrast, people who request the interview, arrive with prepared questions and record everything generally gain greater financial and emotional breathing space. Having a two- or three-year horizon with clear goals makes it possible to adjust debts, plan courses or new activities, and better balance working life with health and family care.

“Retirement is no longer just a date; it has become a transition process that begins years earlier - and necessarily involves an honest conversation with the employer.”