Retiree "Gold Badge"  From former employees of HP and HPE. (Oct 28, 2023)

Summary: Former U.S. employees classified by the company as a "Retiree" receive a gold-colored version of HP's traditional engraved nametag "badge."

It is primarily symbolic. HP says: "...a symbol that you’re a member of HP’s global community of distinguished retirees."

This page has detailed information, photos, and instructions on obtaining or replacing an HP or HPE gold badge.

Uses:

- Local social club events. Bay Area, Southern California, Oregon, and Texas. Details: https://www.hpalumni.org/social

- Monterey Bay Aquarium -- discount no longer available but reportedly can be used to get into VIP line.

- Local businesses near major HP sites.

- See's Candies. Discounts on boxed candy at certain large See's stores. Go to https://chocolateshops.sees.com and look for "QUANTITY DISCOUNT" in the store name.

Other corporate discounts.

We have found no HP document from the last 20 years that extended discounts from company suppliers to retirees. Back when HP was much smaller, there were some that were informally leveraged from corporate contracts.

By 2006, this had been replaced by Beneplace -- an advertising company that promotes identical discounts to employees and retirees of thousands of companies -- including HP and HPE -- using web pages and emails with the employer's name and logo. Unrelated to the employer's corporate purchasing. How to use Beneplace: Beneplace Discounts

If you use an old badge, business card, or code and something goes badly wrong: 1. Your former employer and their insurance company will not be able to help, since they were not a party to the transaction. 2. Any insurance coverage included with the corporate discount is invalid. 3. Car rental companies can void the entire contract -- including supplemental liability, accident insurance, and LDW. Details: Your old employee rental discount

Menu of all discount topics: Retiree Discount Menu  Discussed on the HPAA Benefits Forum.

Details

If a U.S. employee left at 55 or older with at least 10 years of service, or left after 2010 with age-plus-years-of-service of at least 80, or left under an early retirement program -- HP and HPE generally classify the employee as "retired" -- regardless of how they left and whether or not they have any retiree benefits. (HPE also mentions "...or age 55 or older with at least 70 age-plus-service 'points' for equity grants.") (To determine if you have any retiree benefits, contact the appropriate company: Which Company )

Traditionally, a retiree gold badge allowed for unescorted access to most HP sites. It did not apply at some facilities -- such as inkjet cartridge manufacturing, which is highly proprietary, and the Response Centers, which have remote access to customer data. It was not the policy at companies that HP acquired. It worked only at sites with staffed lobbies.

The old policy assumed that former employees classified by the company as "retired" -- based on age and years of service when they left -- are permanently retired from the industry. Since 2007, HP (and HPE since it was split off) have required that all visitors be escorted by a current employee. This protects you, your current employer, and your former employer from potential legal issues -- however inadvertent.

Before switching to scannable employee badges, HP used engraved 1" by 3" white plastic name badges with your name, division, and the "hp" logo. You received a new badge every time you changed divisions or your division changed its name. The name of the "Terminal Products Division" was changed before the badges were ordered. :)

Designed to help people learn each others' names, they were egalitarian -- giving no clue as to your job function, department, or management level.

The Retiree "Gold Badge" is gold-colored instead of white. It includes your name, an HP logo, and "Retiree." An indicated on the HPAA's ASAP Checklist -- advice from members when leaving the company -- if you are classified by the company as a "Retiree" you should receive a gold badge and a retirement gift. Members report that some managers and department admins are not aware of this.

Current retiree badge design.

(In the early 2000's, laminated 2" x 3-1/4" "Retiree" photo badges printed on gold plastic were issued to retirees. Those are no longer available.)

How to obtain or replace an HP or HPE gold badge:

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