The 10 Best Employers for Workers Over Age 50

Ivy League colleges don't only top U.S.News & World Report ' s annual college rankings. Now, one of the eight elite institutions was also named a great place for older workers to intermingle with younger scholars. Cornell University topped this year's list of the best employers for workers over age 50, produced annually by AARP.

Cornell was recognized in part because of its innovative health-related programs for employees, including health screenings in office buildings on campus, computerized and in-person health counseling, weight-loss workshops, nutrition classes, stress-management programs, and other classes for older adults with titles like Staying Strong, Gentle Yoga, and Core Conditioning. The university also provides access to five fitness centers on campus, an ice skating rink, and several swimming pools. Picking a healthy place to live and work can greatly improve the quality of life in your golden years.

Other job perks at Cornell, where 43 percent of the workforce is over age 50, include flextime, compressed work weeks, telecommuting, paid time off for caregiving, a formal phased retirement program for faculty, temporary work assignments for nonfaculty retirees, and free retiree access to university classes. Retirees also get a health and prescription drug plan that's heavily subsidized by the university, a valuable perk that is rapidly disappearing from most workplaces in the United States.

The other top employers on AARP's list are largely in the health and financial services sectors.

Top 10 Employers for Workers Over Age 50

1. Cornell University, Ithaca, N.Y.
2. Scripps Health, San Diego
3. S. C. Johnson & Son, Racine, Wis.
4. The YMCA of Greater Rochester, Rochester, N.Y.
5. Lee Memorial Health System, Fort Myers, Fla.
6. Securian, St. Paul, Minn.
7. First Horizon National Corp., Memphis, Tenn.
8. Stanley Consultants, Muscatine, Iowa
9. Bon Secours Richmond Health System, Richmond, Va.
10. Blue Cross Blue Shield Association, Chicago

Source: AARP, 2008

You can view the full list of the top 50 employers here. And if you're looking to impress hiring managers at companies that welcome older workers, check out these tips.