People over the age of 55 can give a boost to employers and their companies' productivity levels, according to one charity.

The National Council on Aging (NCOA) said that older people in the US are looking for a job over the festive period, as they feel the pinch harder than many people.

NCOA says that older workers who are employed through its Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) provide excellent skills and work ethics, as well as high productivity levels.

It also said that being employed in these temporary jobs can help older people to learn skills which can help them gain full-time employment.

Sandra Nathan, senior vice-president for economic security at NCOA, said: "New data released yesterday by the U.S Labor Department shows the unemployment rate dropping in the U.S and while this is great new, it's not necessarily true for older workers."

The labor figures had shown that US unemployment had decreased by 0.4 per cent.

Posted by Sarah Dixon