Age Is Just a Number: NYC Hiring Event Highlights Value of Older New Yorkers in the Workforce

On Thursday, May 20, more than 500 older New Yorkers gathered at Brooklyn Borough Hall to participate in a Talent Connect Hiring Hall hosted by the New York City Department for the Aging (NYC Aging) and NYC Talent and Workforce Development. 

The hiring hall is part of an ongoing effort to combat ageism in the labor market and to highlight the value older adults bring to New York City’s economy and communities.

“Older adults are one of the fastest growing populations in New York City. They are leaders of our families and beacons of wisdom in our communities,” said Mayor Eric Adams, speaking to the crowd. “They worked hard to build a better future for themselves and their families.”

The event connected job-seeking older adults with 27 potential employers across the nonprofit, private, and government sectors—all looking to tap into a skilled, experienced, and often overlooked workforce.

“Older adults have contributed so much to our society, and they continue to make their mark in more ways than one,” said NYC Aging Commissioner Lorraine Cortés-Vázquez. “Older workers bring knowledge, reliability, and perspective, making them some of the most dedicated and hardworking employees. But ageism continues to prevent them from receiving the opportunities they deserve.”

The event featured on-the-spot interviews, career resources, and direct networking opportunities for attendees, many of whom have faced barriers in reentering the workforce due to age-related discrimination.

Brooklyn Borough President Antonio Reynoso, who hosted the event at Borough Hall, emphasized the importance of creating equitable job opportunities for New Yorkers at every stage of life.

“New York City’s workers come in all ages, and our older adults in the workforce need jobs just as much as our younger people,” Reynoso said. “I was so proud to host this talent connect hiring hall at Brooklyn Borough Hall and to see so many older adults get connected with hiring organizations and agencies. Thank you to the NYC Department for the Aging for organizing this important event.”

With ageism still a pressing issue in the labor market, city officials say initiatives like the Talent Connect Hiring Hall are critical to helping New York remain a city where people of all ages can thrive and contribute.

“We know that in order to make New York City the best place on the globe to raise a family, we need the best jobs on the globe,” Adams said. “And we need to ensure that older New Yorkers can continue to share in our economic prosperity because they still have so much more to give.”