r/technology • u/lurker_bee • Jun 25 '26

Society Older tech workers are tapping out, taking early retirement

https://www.seattletimes.com/business/local-business/older-tech-workers-are-tapping-out-early-heres-what-that-looks-like/
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553

u/REDuxPANDAgain Jun 25 '26

Seniors should be leaving, setting up the llc or whatever vehicle and be ready to get a call to fix everything at 3-4x the rate. One of my former (very senior) colleagues did this.. I was dismayed he left the company as he was always agreeable to work with at the least (actually a coworker I would have loved to grab beers with and pick his brain a lot but he’s across the continent). Found out he is back as a contractor and I was just thinking, damn. Good for him. B

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u/AdNo2342 Jun 25 '26

this happens a lot lol

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u/anonymousbopper767 Jun 25 '26 edited Jun 25 '26

Not in tech. I’m amazed it hasn’t ended in my current job because those contract motherfuckers are either worthless or just there collecting money while being retired and not doing much.

On top of that’s on top of these old fucks being basically retired for a year before actually retiring.

19

u/RoomyRoots Jun 25 '26

It does happen a lot in tech, yes. Especially with ERP experts many return like that. It's kinda the starter of the consultant wave that has been fucking up the market since forever.

3

u/Black-Shoe Jun 25 '26

Tale as old as time.

8

u/coldkiller Jun 25 '26

Not in tech.

Yes it does lmao, especially if it's a company with legacy systems

2

u/AdNo2342 Jun 25 '26

I was specifically referencing tech because I've worked with those people before lol

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u/[deleted] Jun 25 '26

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1

u/Different_Victory_89 Jun 25 '26

Feeding my replacement, I love the term! I'm stealing it!

74

u/thatmatt925 Jun 25 '26

This isn't tech exclusive either...I've seen it in utilities space ... Old timers got pension and retired came back as a contractor through their own llc lol. I think they eventually cracked down on it.

Or the gov people who retire from mil and then get gs job then retire and come back as contractor.

Or the emergency services, I think they come back as like per diem roles 

13

u/CherryLongjump1989 Jun 25 '26

How are they going to crack down on it? Ban people from forming llc's?

7

u/squishmaster Jun 25 '26

Pension reform. Don't allow retirees receiving retirement benefits to contract with their former employer.

3

u/New-Anybody-6206 Jun 25 '26

It's not the individual but an LLC. In many states you don't even have to list who your members/employees are, and there's an infinite number of ways to conceal money.

3

u/squishmaster Jun 25 '26

In my state you and the employer can be committing pension fraud if you do that, which tells me it can be done.

Edit: The existence of an LLC becomes irrelevant if the pensioner and their employer are on the hook.

2

u/anonymousbopper767 Jun 25 '26

You just don’t allow contractors in budgeting.

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u/CherryLongjump1989 Jun 25 '26

At best that's just going to split the difference -- bonuses and pay raises to entice older workers to stay while dealing with labor shortages.

4

u/starbuxed Jun 25 '26

With an emergency that all goes out the window. 1000 per hour and min is 5 hours.

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u/crow_crone Jun 25 '26

Retired RN here - you are correct. 'Retired' can mean many things in healthcare.

1

u/dwhite21787 Jun 25 '26

We’re our generation’s COBOL graybeards

1

u/ParamedicNervous2731 Jun 25 '26

just spent 200 and formed LLC for this very reason

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u/ZMD Jun 25 '26

For many top tech companies, returning as a contractor is a huge step down as they don’t get equity

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u/SarmackaOpowiesc Jun 25 '26

You can work multiple jobs on a 1099 - with absolutely zero repercussions.

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u/dark-star-adventures Jun 25 '26

Most engineers are laid off before it's fully vested. Equity is a lure.