At its 1962 session, the General Assembly, concerned with the increasing difficulties encountered by workers age 40 and over (sometimes hereinafter referred to, rather inaccurately as to many of them, as "older workers") in securing employment in Virginia, adopted Senate Joint Resolution No. 42 directing the Virginia Advisory Legislative Council to make a study and to report on any need for legislation concerning the employment of such workers and the development of programs to aid them in obtaining suitable employment.

The Council selected Dr. J. D. Hagood, of Clover, member of the Senate of Virginia and member of the Council, to serve as Chairman of the Committee to, make the initial study and report to the Council. The following individuals were selected to serve on the Committee with Dr. Hagood: Harold B. Boyd, State Director, AFL-CIO, Richmond; James W. Davis, Realty Broker and Farmer and member of the House of Delegates, Agricola; William B. Hopkins, Attorney at Law and member of the Senate of Virginia, Roanoke; Dr. John P. Lynch, Physician, and former President of the Richmond Academy of Medicine, Richmond; Mrs. Dana F. Robinson, Counselor; Over-Sixty Employment Counseling Services of Northern Virginia, Arlington; William R. Shands, Attorney at Law and former Vice President and General Counsel of the Life Insurance Company of Virginia, Richmond; and Charles H. Taylor, Executive Vice-President, Virginia Manufacturers Association, Richmond.

William R. Shands was elected Vice-Chairman; and John B. Boatwright, Jr. and Wildman S. Kincheloe, Jr. were appointed Secretary and Recording Secretary, respectively.

The Committee held several meetings, one of them being a public hearing to determine the major difficulties encountered by workers age 40 and over in seeking and finding employment in Virginia.

At the request of the Committee, representatives of the Virginia Industrial Commission, the Department of Labor and Industry, the Commission on the Aging, the Department of Education, and the Department of Welfare and Institutions attended a special meeting of the Committee at which problems of the employment of such workers, insofar as these departments and agencies are concerned, were discussed.

A questionnaire was also sent to the heads of all State agencies to determine their respective policies regarding the hiring of such workers, including any factors peculiar to the particular agency restricting or prohibiting the employment of such persons.

The Committee invited the views of the general public on problems relating to the employment of such workers at a public hearing held in Richmond, Virginia on May 1, 1963. Only a few persons appeared before the Committee; they (one of them being 46 years old and unemployed) related experiences and difficulties encountered while seeking employment in Virginia.

In response to newspaper coverage, many communications were received from older workers setting forth their plight and their needs. Their suggestions for improving the employment opportunities for older persons have been carefully considered.

The Committee has also reviewed the benefits available to older workers under the Federal Social Security System, the State assistance program and the various exemptions available under the federal and State tax provisions.

In its report, the Committee recognized and sought to determine and differentiate the problems, facts and needs with respect to the employment of persons age 40 to 64 as distinguished from older persons age 65 and over generally considered of retirement age.

Upon conclusion of its work, the Committee transmitted its report to the Council. The Council has considered the report and accompanying data at length, and after due deliberation, the Council now presents its report.