Bob Berg, vice president of human resources for Iowa-based engineering firm Stanley Consultants Inc., which employs about 90 workers in Las Vegas, said the company depends on workers with a wide scope of knowledge and experience, attributes that older workers are often equipped to provide.

"In terms of retaining them, we're in the engineering consulting industry," Berg said. "What we sell is our knowledge, our intellectual property. Our older workers have amassed a great deal of knowledge relating to our industry, our customers. They have the street sense of running the business. We hate to see that knowledge walk out the door."

The company offers a package of benefits that includes a phased retirement program that allows workers to retire gradually, the ability to donate time off to workers who need it and a 401(k) plan that the company contributes to even if the employees don't. The company topped AARP's recent 2005 "Best Employers for Workers Over 50" list.

Deborah Russell, director of economic security for AARP, said it behooves employers to consider ways to attract and retain older workers. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, by 2012, 19.1 percent of workers will be 55 years old or older. By then, that group is projected to grow at an annual rate of 4.1 percent, nearly four times the rate of growth of the overall labor force, according to the BLS.

"In general, employers tend to worry about today's bottom line; they tend not to think long-term," Russell said. "What's happening is there is going to be a war for talent. There's not going to be a labor shortage, but a shortage of skilled workers. Those coming out of high school and college are not prepared to be in the workforce."

Russell said AARP research shows Baby Boomers (born between 1946 and 1964) are willing to remain in the workforce longer than traditional retirement age. She said employers should take advantage of that by utilizing them to help train tomorrow's workforce.

Roy Reindl, 61, who performs administrative support duties at Stanley Consultants' Las Vegas office, said that when he retired in 2002 from his job as director of operations of Aristocrat Technologies he didn't want to stop working. He said that until obtaining his current full-time position at Stanley Consultants five months ago, he worked several part-time jobs.

"I just did part-time stuff and got totally bored," Reindl said. "I wanted to do something full time. I have too big an energy level for that (part-time work). At this stage I wanted to do something different, that's why I appreciate the experience here."

He said he was attracted to Stanley Consultants partially because of the company's benefits package.

Dennis Bianchi, 62, a principal civil engineer with Stanley Consultants, said the engineering industry is one that values and needs older workers.

"There's not enough people coming into the industry to fill in the gap," Bianchi said. "There's always been a concern that there aren't enough people coming in who have the experience. Mentoring is a big part of Stanley. They have a program for mentors and mentees (those being mentored) that helps the transition for folks leaving and the folks here."

Although many companies are making efforts to hold onto older talent, many older workers still face age discrimination, employment lawyers say. The Age Discrimination in Employment Act of 1967 protects workers over age 40 from being fired, not being hired or promoted because of their age.

However, the number of age discrimination complaints filed with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission fell from 19,924 complaints in fiscal year 2003 to 17,837 filed in fiscal year 2004. In 2002 a high of 19,921 complaints of age discrimination were filed with the EEOC.

Richard Segerblom, a Las Vegas employment lawyer, said many companies find it financially beneficial to lay off or terminate older workers. He said that in the Las Vegas Valley some gaming companies will terminate workers who are older, particularly if they work in a position where they have contact with the public. However, he acknowledged that there are companies that seek out older workers.

"There are some employers (that) have no problem with hiring someone over 50," Segerblom said. "They're looking for someone who is reliable, conscientious and is just a good worker. If you're looking for someone in public that's a face, like in the casinos, you're going to look for a younger worker."

Segerblom said money is also a big motivator for companies that discriminate against older workers.

"Someone who's worked for a company for 20 years because of their age they cost more to their employers," he said. "(Maybe) they have a bad back or diabetes or they've got a condition that looks like it's going to be a long-term medical condition. There's a financial incentive to routinely get rid of them over time."

He said some employers find legal ways to cut down on the number of older workers they have.

"Anytime there's a reorganization they do it to get rid of older, long-term, more expensive employees and replace them with younger, short-term, cheaper employees," Segerblom said. "I've seen it. I've litigated it. I've won it. I've lost it."

Reindl said that although he hasn't experienced age discrimination himself, he certainly has known of it.

"The manufacturing industry is notorious for that," he said. "Manufacturing is cost intensive. To reduce costs you only have two ways: lower material costs or labor costs. The more mature workers have higher costs."

Russell agreed that some companies do discriminate based on age, but she added that they aren't always getting ahead when they do.

"Certainly there are employers that are going to make their workforce decisions based on the cost of the worker," Russell said. "Those companies that do the kind of workforce planning that gives them the broader spectrum (find) there is not necessarily any cost savings by getting rid of your older workers, if you're getting a younger worker that requires more training and may not stay that long. You have to look at it as a larger picture, which is why I think it's important for employers to do that kind of planning."

Although it wasn't on AARP's list, MGM Mirage is another Southern Nevada employer that seeks to hire and retain older workers, Debra Nelson, the company's vice president of corporate diversity & community affairs, said.

Ed McPeek, 59, a retired teacher for the Clark County School District, said he has worked as a special event usher supervisor at the MGM Grand Garden Arena for almost 12 years. McPeek said he worked both at the Grand Garden Arena and as a teacher until he retired from the district in June.

Mark Prows, vice president of the Grand Garden Arena, said the company offers a good benefits package to attract workers such as those over the age of 50. The package includes flexible time, where workers can earn extra time off that can be taken or paid. He also said the company's 401(k) program and the company's health care plan are also attractive to older workers.

"I absolutely love my job at MGM," McPeek said. "I don't want to totally retire -- I'm one of those type A people."

McPeek is involved in the recruitment of special event representatives such as ushers and ticket takers at the MGM Grand Garden Arena. He said out of the 261 special event representatives working at the Grand Garden Arena, 138 are retired workers who are 55 and older. He also said 75 percent to 80 percent of those 261 have worked for the company for five or more years.

Prows said the company values the kinds of experiences and skill-sets older workers bring to the many customer service-oriented positions the company has. He said often those workers have strong problem-solving and interpersonal skills.

"It's the perfect marriage between where most of these people are at in their lives and what they desire," Prows said. "They're looking for the ability to be a part of something bigger, but also gives them ancillary income. What we try to create is a fun place to work. If employees are enjoying their environment and you understand your employees and your employees understand the company and you foster that great environment, the recruiting effort takes care of itself."

Alana Roberts covers courts and labor relations for In Business Las Vegas and its sister publication, the Las Vegas Sun. She can be reached by e-mail at alanar@lasvegassun.com or at (702) 259-4059.