EARLY RETIREES LEAVE ROOM FOR MORE OLDER WORKERS

Early retirement is turning workers age 50 and over into one of the most needed resources in the workplace, says Challenger, Gray & Christmas Inc. ``The older worker has the experience that employers must have to replace the people taking early retirement,'' says James Challenger, president of the outplacement consulting firm.

The number of retirees not looking for work has risen from 17.2 million in the first quarter of 1989 to 18.4 million in the second quarter of this year.