ArcelorMittal Liberia has begun implementing the retirement of employees who have reached age 60, a move that has triggered complaints from several affected workers, who allege the process was carried out abruptly and without consultation.
According to a retirement notice dated April 3, 2026, and obtained by the Daily Observer, the company informed employees under the subject "Implementation of retirement at the age of 60" that the exercise was intended to ensure compliance with Liberia's labor laws and internal workforce planning objectives.
"Dear colleague, as part of ArcelorMittal Liberia's ongoing commitment to maintaining full compliance with the statutory requirement, the company will begin implementing retirement at age 60," the letter stated.
The company added that the process was aimed at aligning its employment practices with Liberia's legal framework governing retirement.
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"This requirement ensures that our employment practices are aligned with the governing regulatory framework of Liberia, which clearly defines retirement eligibility for employees," the letter noted.
"It also supports our continued efforts to strengthen operational efficiency, create opportunities for career progression, and ensure effective long term succession planning across the business," the communication added.
According to the notice, the policy applies to all employees who have reached or are approaching the retirement threshold, describing the exercise as a uniform process based on compliance with national regulations and the company's obligation to uphold those standards.
However, several affected employees, who spoke to the Daily Observer on condition of anonymity, claimed that retirement letters were issued just three days after the initial notice, without any discussion or negotiation regarding the possibility of extending their service.
The workers referenced provisions of Liberia's Decent Work Act and the NASSCORP Social Security framework, which recognize age 60 as the qualifying age for retirement pension eligibility after at least 15 years of continuous service, but also allow retirement benefits to be deferred until age 65 in some circumstances.
The aggrieved employees argued that, in previous cases, some workers who had reached retirement age were allowed to continue working beyond 60 following discussions with management.
"After three days of the notice, we saw the retirement letter and there was no room created for negotiation, whether to accept early retirement or continue," one affected employee said.
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The workers further alleged that the process has already affected about 78 employees, including two medical doctors.
Some employees also accused one of the company's Operations Managers, Anthony Kocken, a South African national, of allegedly intimidating workers with threats of dismissal before the retirement letters were issued.
Several of the affected employees described the process as a "witch-hunt."
Efforts by the Daily Observer to obtain clarification from AML were unsuccessful. Emails and text messages sent to the company's Communications Department went unanswered up to press time. Senior Communications Manager Winston Daryoue reportedly informed the paper that he was on leave.
Meanwhile, some of the aggrieved workers, including Dr. Paul Whesseh, have reportedly filed a complaint with Samuel Kogar, seeking his intervention in the matter.
"We were not given due diligence like what was done to others and some are still working, although they reached the retirement age," one of the complainants said.
