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Patel, Pankaj C. (2026): For older and poorer: the implications of self-employment among individuals over 50. In: Applied Economics, Jg. 58, H. 6, S. 1113-1131. DOI:10.1080/00036846.2025.2464818

Abstract

"Drawing on human capital theory and analysing data from the American Community Survey and Panel Study of Income Dynamics, we examine how economic policies influence late-career entrepreneurship. We find that older, economically vulnerable individuals are increasingly pushed into self-employment, often as a necessity rather than an opportunity. The association persists even when controlling for economic shocks and individual fixed effects. Notably, state-level policies such as minimum wage increases and Medicaid expansion show limited efficacy in altering these patterns or improving outcomes for this demographic. Our findings underscore the inadequacy of current broad-based economic policies in addressing the unique challenges faced by older workers in an evolving labour market." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Jacobs, Lindsay & Suphanit Piyapromdee (2025): Labor Force Transitions at Older Ages: Burnout, Recovery, and Reverse Retirement. (CEPR discussion paper / Centre for Economic Policy Research 20616), London, 54 S.

Abstract

"Partial and reverse retirement are two key behaviors characterizing labor force dynamics for individuals at older ages, with half working part-time and over a third leaving and later re-entering the labor force at some point. The high rate of exit and re-entry is especially puzzling when considering the flat and declining wage profiles observed at older ages and uncertainty about future re-employment. Using Health and Retirement Study (HRS) data, we document the timing and prevalence of these behaviors and show that reverse retirees resemble permanent retirees across many observables, but differ notably in reported job stress and polygenic scores linked to stress sensitivity. To understand what drives these behaviors, we develop and estimate a dynamic model of retirement that incorporates uncertainty in wages and health, along with a novel “burnout-recovery” process representing the accumulation and dissipation of work-related stress. The model replicates key patterns in the data, accounting for over two-thirds of reverse retirement and 40 percent of transitions to part-time work—patterns that cannot be explained by health or wealth shocks alone. Our findings suggest that reverse retirement is largely a predictable response to recoverable stress rather than a reaction to shocks. Policy simulations show that part-time subsidies and sabbaticals enhance labor force attachment and welfare by reducing burnout, while eliminating the Retirement Earnings Test raises re-entry but also increases stress exposure. Together, these findings highlight the central role of stress dynamics in shaping retirement behavior and inform the design of policies to support work at older ages." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Patki, Dhiren (2025): Breaking the Implicit Contract: Using Pension Freezes to Study Lifetime Labor Supply. In: Journal of Political Economy Macroeconomics, Jg. 3, H. 3, S. 305-342. DOI:10.1086/736925

Abstract

"This paper studies the elimination of defined benefit pensions and subsequent adoption of 401(k) plans by U.S. employers. Using matched employer-employee data linked to thousands of firm-level retirement plan changes, it shows that unexpected losses in future compensation engendered by pensions plan transitions induce premature retirement for some workers and delayed retirement for others. Heterogeneity in retirement behavior stems from differences in the relative strength of substitution and wealth effects. Exploiting treatment effects as estimation targets, it fits a model of retirement and uses the model to quantify welfare costs and labor supply effects of changes in workplace penstion structure." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Cahill, Kevin E., Michael D. Giandrea, Joseph F. Quinn, Lawrence B. Sacco & Loretta G. Platts (2024): Does Bridge Employment Mitigate or Exacerbate Inequalities Later in Life? In: Work, Aging and Retirement, Jg. 10, H. 2, S. 77-99. DOI:10.1093/workar/waac020

Abstract

"Most older Americans with career employment change jobs at least once before retiring from the labor market. Much is known about the prevalence and determinants of these bridge jobs, yet relatively little is known about the implications of such job changes—compared to direct exits from a career job —upon economic disparities in later life. In this article, we use 26 years of longitudinal data from the Health and Retirement Study to document the various pathways that older Americans take when exiting the labor force, and examine how bridge employment affects nonhousing wealth and total wealth, including the present discounted value of Social Security benefits. We find that gradual retirement in the form of bridge employment neither exacerbates nor mitigates wealth inequalities among Americans who hold career jobs later in life. That said, we do find some evidence that wealth inequalities grow among the subset of older career workers who transition from career employment to bridge employment at older ages. One policy implication of our article is that it provides evidence that might allay concerns about the potential for disparate financial impacts associated with the gradual retirement process." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Taber, Christopher, Ananth Seshadri & Xiaodong Fan (2024): Estimation of a Life-Cycle Model with Human Capital, Labor Supply, and Retirement. In: Journal of Political Economy, Jg. 132, H. 1, S. 48-95. DOI:10.1086/726232

Abstract

"We estimate a life-cycle model of consumption, human capital investment, and labor supply. The interaction between human capital and labor supply towards the end of the life cycle is most novel. The estimates replicate the main features of the data, in particular the large increase in wages and small increase in labor supply at the beginning of the life cycle and the small decrease in wages but large decrease in labor supply towards the end. We show that incorporating human capital is critical when analyzing changes to Social Security." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Turek, Konrad, Kène Henkens & Matthijs Kalmijn (2024): Gender and Educational Inequalities in Extending Working Lives: Late-Life Employment Trajectories Across Three Decades in Seven Countries. In: Work, Aging and Retirement, Jg. 10, H. 2, S. 100-122. DOI:10.1093/workar/waac021

Abstract

"Public policies encourage later retirement, but they often do not account for discrepancies in the capacity for extending working lives. This paper studies trends and inequalities in extending working lives between 1990 and 2019 from gender and education perspectives in seven countries (Australia, Germany, Russia, South Korea, Switzerland, United Kingdom, and United States). The three-decade-long data provide insights into the societal transition toward extended employment that began in the mid-1990s. Using latent class growth analysis, we identify five universal trajectories representing late-life employment in all countries: Early, Standard and Late Exit patterns, and stable Nonemployment and Late Employment patterns. Regression analyses show that Non-Employment dominated the 1990s, but it significantly declined, giving space to Late Employment as one of the major employment pathways. Gender and educational differences are considerable and stable and constitute important stratification markers of late careers. Progress toward later employment affects all analyzed countries but in different ways, suggesting the simple generalizations of one-country findings can be risky. We discuss the risks of universal progress toward extending employment that can bring unequal results and negative consequences for vulnerable groups. This study also contributes methodologically by exploring the trajectory-oriented perspective on late careers." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Fernández, Juan J., Gema García-Albacete, Antonio M. Jaime-Castillo & Jonas Radl (2023): Priming or learning? The influence of pension policy information on individual preferences in Germany, Spain and the United States. In: Journal of European Social Policy, Jg. 33, H. 3, S. 337-352. DOI:10.1177/09589287231164347

Abstract

"A promising approach to pension policy preferences focuses on the influence of policy related information. We advance this research programme by examining the impact of information about future pension benefits, including whether information effects occur through priming, learning or both. Drawing on a novel, split-sample survey experiment in the US, Germany and Spain, we examine the impact of information on forecasted pension replacement rates for 2040 on pension policy attitudes. Findings indicate that the information treatment increases support for the two outcomes considered: (i) increases in the pensionable age and (ii) greater spending on pensions relative to other social programmes. Analyses of heterogeneous treatment effects accounting for prior beliefs of participants show that information effects occur both through priming and learning. The study concludes that hard, non-partisan information increases support for reforms that foster the financial sustainability of pension systems, although the scope of information effects depends on contextual conditions." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Kim, Soohyun (2023): Access to employer-provided paid leave and eldercare provision for older workers. In: Community, work & family, Jg. 26, H. 3, S. 285-291. DOI:10.1080/13668803.2021.1885346

Abstract

"Paid leave for family and medical reasons is an important workplace benefit for older workers with eldercare responsibilities by offering time off from work to deal with the need for caregiving, but little is known about its effects on eldercare provision. I study the association between employer-provided paid leave and eldercare provision among workers aged 45 or over, using the 2011 and 2017–18 American Time Use Survey and its Leave Modules. Among various types of leave, paid leave for eldercare was the only type of leave associated with an increase in any care provision by six percentage points. The positive relationship was stronger for care provided less than daily than care provided daily. The significant, but small, increase in care provision associated with paid leave for eldercare suggests the role of paid leave in facilitating care for older adults among middle- and old-aged workers." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Freeman, Richard B. (2022): Planning for the “Expected Unexpected”: Work and Retirement in the U.S. After the COVID-19 Pandemic Shock. (NBER working paper 29653), Cambridge, Mass, 33 S. DOI:10.3386/w29653

Abstract

"This chapter analyzes the implications of the unexpected 2020-2021 COVID-19 pandemic for work and retirement in the U.S. The pandemic induced the greatest loss of jobs in the shortest period of time in U.S. history. A slow economic recovery would surely have endangered work longer/retire later policies that seek to adjust the finances of Social Security retirement to an aging population. Boosted by the huge CARES (March 2020) and ARPA (April 2021) rescue packages, the early recovery from the COVID-19 recession was faster and stronger than the recovery from the 2007-2009 Great Recession. Even so, the pandemic greatly altered the job market, with workers suffering from long COVID having difficulty returning to work and more workers working from home. In its immediate effect and potential long-run impact, the pandemic recession/recovery is a wake-up call to the danger that shocks from the natural world pose to work and retirement. Realistic planning for the future of work and retirement should go beyond analyzing socioeconomic trends to analyzing expected unexpected changes from the natural world as well." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Börsch-Supan, Axel, Felizia Hanemann, Brian Beach, Didier Halimi, Susana Harding, Marieke van der Waal, Daisuke Watanabe & Ursula M. Staudinger (2021): Older adults' integration in the labour market: a global view. In: Ageing & Society, Jg. 41, H. 4, S. 917-935. DOI:10.1017/S0144686X19001454

Abstract

"What governs labour force participation in later life and why is it so different across countries? Health and labour force participation in older ages are not strongly linked, but we observe a large variation across countries in old-age labour force participation. This points to the important role of country-specific regulations governing pension receipt and old-age labour force participation. In addition to the statutory eligibility age for a pension, such country-specific regulations include: earnings tests that limit the amount of earnings when pension benefits are received; the amount of benefit deductions for early retirement; the availability of part-time pensions before normal retirement; special regulations that permit early retirement for certain population groups; and either subsidies or extra costs for employers if they keep older employees in their labour force. This paper asks two questions: Can we link a relatively low labour force participation at ages 60–64 to country-specific regulations that make early retirement attractive? and Can we link a relatively high labour force participation at ages 65–74 to country-specific regulations that make late retirement attractive? To answer these questions, we compared the experiences in a set of developed countries around the world in order to understand better the impact of country-specific rules and laws on work and retirement behaviour at older ages and, by consequence, on the financial sustainability of pension systems." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Gornick, Janet & Eva Sierminska (2021): Wealth Accumulation and Retirement Preparedness in Cross-National Perspective: A Gendered Analysis of Outcomes among Single Adults. (IZA policy paper 181), Bonn, 30 S.

Abstract

"Wealth is an increasingly important dimension of economic well-being and is attracting rising attention in discussions of social inequality. In this paper, we compare – within and across countries – wealth outcomes, and link those to both employment-related factors and policy solutions that have the potential to improve wealth creation and retirement security for women. By constructing country-specific portraits of wealth outcomes and "retirement preparedness," we reveal extensive cross-national variation in multiple facets of wealth. Our regression analysis finds a statistically significant and positive effect of work experience on wealth, with that effect, in general, increasing over time. The effect of work experience for single women is greater than for single men, suggesting that, among men, other, stronger forces are at work in creating wealth. The retirement preparedness outcomes indicate that single women in all three countries are in a precarious position at retirement, with much lower expected annual wealth levels than single men. The second preparedness indicator, which links expected annual wealth to income, demonstrates that men have the potential to cover 1larger shares of their income at retirement – and thus are more able, than their female counterparts, to maintain standards of living achieved earlier in life. Our policy discussion indicates that employment remains a viable option for ultimately bolstering women's wealth accumulation. Many scholars, gender equality advocates, and policymakers have argued for raising women's employment rates – for a multitude of reasons – but few, if any, have made the case for strengthening women's employment in order to ultimately bolster women's wealth building. We hope to help reduce the gap in the literature on policy supports for women's employment and re-open the discussion on how women can create more wealth." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Quinby, Laura D. & Gal Wettstein (2021): Do deferred benefit cuts for current employees increase separation? In: Labour Economics, Jg. 73. DOI:10.1016/j.labeco.2021.102081

Abstract

"This study examines whether deferred benefit cuts increase worker separation. The analysis utilizes a 2005 reform to the Employees' Retirement System of Rhode Island (ERSRI) that reduced benefits for ERSRI members who had not vested by 2005, and did not affect high-tenure ERSRI members and municipal government employees. A triple-differences research design yields an elasticity of employer-specific labor supply with respect to deferred benefits of 0.28. Although state employees were more sensitive to benefit cuts than teachers, low elasticities for both groups suggest that the labor market for public employees is not highly competitive." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © 2022 Elsevier) ((en))

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Vandenberghe, Vincent (2021): Differentiating Retirement Age to Compensate for Career Arduousness. (GLO discussion paper / Global Labor Organization 803), Maastricht, 23 S.

Abstract

"Population ageing in Europe calls for an overall rise in the age of retirement. However, many argue that this age should be differentiated to account for individuals' career arduousness. This paper explores the relevance of this idea. It combines the 7th wave of the SHARE panel data on health at an older age and US occupational O*NET data. With these unique data it first quantifies the impact of entire career arduous- ness on health at typical retirement age, relative to other key determinants (gender, childhood health, parental longevity). It then estimates the degree of retirement age differentiation that would be needed to compensate individuals for their career-related health handicap/advantage and get closer to "real" actuarial fairness. Using the age of 65 as a reference, results point at the need for differentiation ranging from 60 to 71. But the paper also shows that systematic retirement age differentiation would fail to match a significant portion of the full distribution of health at an older age. In a world where retirement policy compensates for career-related arduousness there would still be a lot of unaccounted health differences; in particular those related to health endowment. Using variance decomposition methods, we estimate that career-arduousness represents at most 5.83% of the model-explained variance of health at an older age." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Foote, Andrew, Michel Grosz & Ann Huff Stevens (2019): Locate your nearest exit. Mass layoffs and local labor market response. In: ILR review, Jg. 72, H. 1, S. 101-126. DOI:10.1177/0019793917753095

Abstract

"Large shocks to local labor markets can cause long-lasting changes to employment, unemployment, and the local labor force. This study examines the relationship between mass layoffs and the long-run size of the local labor force. The authors consider four main channels through which the local labor force may adjust: in-migration, out-migration, retirement, and disability insurance enrollment. These channels, primarily out-migration, account for more than half of the labor force reduction over the past two decades. Findings show, however, that during and after the Great Recession, instead of out-migration, non-participation in the labor force grew to account for most of the local labor force exits following a mass layoff." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Neumark, David, Ian Burn & Patrick Button (2019): Is it harder for older workers to find jobs? New and improved evidence from a field experiment. In: Journal of Political Economy, Jg. 127, H. 2, S. 922-970. DOI:10.1086/701029

Abstract

"We design and implement a large-scale resume correspondence study to address limitations of existing field experiments testing for age discrimination that may bias their results. One limitation that may bias results is giving older and younger applicants similar experience to make them 'otherwise comparable.' A second limitation is that greater unobserved differences in human capital investment of older applicants may bias the results against finding age discrimination. Based on over 40,000 job applications, we find robust evidence of age discrimination in hiring against older women, especially those near retirement age, but considerably less evidence of age discrimination against men." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Butrica, Barbara A. & Nadia S. Karamcheva (2018): In debt and approaching retirement. Claim social security or work longer? In: AEA papers and proceedings, Jg. 108, S. 401-406. DOI:10.1257/pandp.20181116

Abstract

"Over the past couple of decades, older Americans have become considerably more leveraged. This paper considers whether household debt affects the timing of retirement and Social Security benefit claiming. Using data from the Health and Retirement Study, we find that older adults with debt are more likely to work and less likely to receive Social Security benefits than those who are debt-free. Indebted adults are also more likely to delay fully retiring from the labor force and claiming their benefits. Among the sources of debt, mortgages have a stronger impact on older adults' behavior than do other sources of debt." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Engelhardt, Gary V., Jonathan Gruber & Anil Kumar (2018): Early social security claiming and old-age poverty. Evidence from the introduction of the social security early eligibility age. (NBER working paper 24609), Cambrige, Mass., 52 S. DOI:10.3386/w24609

Abstract

"Social Security faces a major financing shortfall. One policy option for addressing this shortfall would be to raise the earliest age at which individuals can claim their retirement benefits. A welfare analysis of such a policy change depends critically on how it affects living standards. This paper estimates the impact of the Social Security early entitlement age on later-life elderly living standards by tracing birth cohorts of men who had access to different potential claiming ages. The focus is on the Social Security Amendments of 1961, which introduced age 62 as the early entitlement age (EEA) for retired-worker benefits for men. Based on data from the Social Security Administration and March 1968-2001 Current Population Surveys, reductions in the EEA in the long-run lowered the average claiming age by 1.4 years, which lowered Social Security income for male-headed families in retirement by 1.5% at the mean, 3% at the median, and 4% at the 25th percentile of the Social Security income distribution. The increase in early claiming was associated with a decrease in total income, but only at the bottom of the income distribution. There was a large associated rise in elderly poverty and income inequality; the introduction of early claiming raised the elderly poverty rate by about one percentage point. Finally, for the 1885-1916 cohorts, the implied elasticity of poverty with respect to Social Security income for male-headed families is 1.6-. Overall, we find that the introduction of early claiming was associated with a reduction in income and an increase in the poverty rate in old age for male-headed households." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Hudomiet, Péter, Michael D. Hurd, Susann Rohwedder & Robert J. Willis (2018): The effect of physical and cognitive decline at older ages on job mismatch and retirement. (NBER working paper 25229), Cambrige, Mass., 75 S. DOI:10.3386/w25229

Abstract

"Physical and cognitive abilities of older workers decline with age, which can cause a mismatch between abilities and job demands, potentially leading to early retirement. We link longitudinal Health and Retirement Study data to O*NET occupational characteristics to estimate to what extent changes in workers' physical and cognitive resources change their work-limiting health problems, mental health, subjective probabilities of retirement, and labor market status. While we find that physical and cognitive decline strongly predict all outcomes, only the interaction between large-muscle resources and job demands is statistically significant, implying a strong mismatch at older ages in jobs requiring large-muscle strength. The effects of declines in fine motor skills and cognition are not statistically different across differing occupational job demands." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Schreiber, Philipp (2018): Widowhood and retirement timing. Evidence from the health and retirement study. In: The B.E. Journal of Economic Analysis and Policy, Jg. 18, H. 3, S. 1-21. DOI:10.1515/bejeap-2017-0178

Abstract

"The combination of an increasing life expectancy, low fertility rates, and an early effective retirement age creates a pressure to act for governments and organizations. The pay-as-you-go social security systems of many countries are troubled by the increasing ratio of retirees to working people. In addition, many organizations face difficulties caused by a shrinking workforce and the accompanied shortage of skilled workers. To counteract, it is essential to create an environment in which older workers are encouraged to stay in the workforce. Therefore, it is important to understand which factors influence the retirement timing decision of workers. This study analyzes how widowhood and changes in demographic, health-related, and financial factors lead to changes in retirement plans of Health and Retirement Study (HRS) respondents. I compare respondents' actual retirement age with their retirement plans elicited in the HRS wave prior to retirement. The strongest change in retirement timing is caused by widowhood. Respondents who become widowed retire on average 1.7 years earlier than previously planned. The estimated effect of widowhood goes beyond the deterioration of physical health and mental health. My findings suggest that an intervention in an early stage after widowhood by the employer or by health and social care services can help the widowed employee to overcome the temporary adverse effects of widowhood and to prevent a precipitous retirement decision." (Author's abstract, © De Gruyter) ((en))

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(2018): Ageing and employment policies: United States 2018. Working better with age and fighting unequal ageing. (Ageing and employment policies), Paris. DOI:10.1787/9789264190115-en

Abstract

"In the United States, employment rates at older ages are comparatively high at 62% among 55-64 year-olds against 59% on average in OECD countries in 2016. However, there are large disparities across population groups. Early retirement remains a widespread phenomenon, especially among workers from vulnerable socio-economic backgrounds. Preventing old-age disparities in terms of employment outcomes and retirement income from widening is crucial. This report looks at the various pathways out of the labour market for older workers, and how employers can be supported to retain and hire older workers. It examines the best ways that the United States can promote the employability of workers throughout their working lives and more equal outcomes among older workers." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Inderbitzin, Lukas, Stefan Staubli & Josef Zweimüller (2016): Extended unemployment benefits and early retirement. Program complementarity and program substitution. In: American Economic Journal. Economic Policy, Jg. 8, H. 1, S. 253-288. DOI:10.1257/pol.20130315

Abstract

"We explore how extended unemployment insurance (UI) benefits for older workers affect early retirement and welfare. We argue that extending UI benefits generates program complementarity (more labor market exits and disability benefit take-up in the future) and program substitution (less disability benefit take-up in the present). Exploiting a policy change in Austria, which extended UI benefits to 4 years, we find program complementarity effects for workers aged 50+ and program substitution effects for workers aged 55+. We apply the Baily-Chetty formula for optimal UI to account for complementarity and substitution, showing that UI benefits for older workers were too generous." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Lalé, Etienne (2016): Turbulence and the employment experience of older workers. (IZA discussion paper 10061), Bonn, 52 S.

Abstract

"This paper provides a unified account of the trends in unemployment and labor force participation pertaining to the employment experience of older male workers during the past half-century. We build an equilibrium life-cycle model with labor-market frictions and an operative labor supply margin, wherein economic turbulence à la Ljungqvist and Sargent (1998) interact with institutions in ways that deteriorate employment. The model explains simultaneously: (i) the fall in labor force participation in the United States, (ii) the similar but more pronounced decline in Europe alongside rising unemployment rates and (iii) differences across European countries in the role played respectively by unemployment and labor force participation. The model also shows that policies that fostered early retirement may have exacerbated the deterioration of European labor markets: raising early retirement incentives to reduce unemployment among older workers tends to increase unemployment at younger ages, especially in turbulent economic times and under stringent employment protection legislation." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Rutledge, Matthew S. (2016): How do financial resources affect the timing of retirement after a job separation? In: ILR review, Jg. 69, H. 5, S. 1249-1279. DOI:10.1177/0019793916654717

Abstract

"This study examines working people between the ages of 50 and 70 years old and the conditions that lead them to decide to retire or not after they experience a job separation. Based on data from the Survey of Income and Program Participation, the author finds that among individuals whose jobless spells end in retirement, most decide to retire within a year after separation. The availability of resources such as Social Security retirement benefits, high net worth, and income from defined benefit pensions appear to encourage more rapid labor force exit and retirement, rather than supporting job seekers during a long search. Perhaps surprisingly, no correlation between retirement and the unemployment rate occurs, but unemployment insurance benefits do delay retirement. These results suggest little tolerance for long job searches regardless of labor market prospects and indicate that those who can afford to retire will do so rather quickly." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Beshears, John, James J. Choi, Joshua Hurwitz, David Laibson & Brigitte C. Madrian (2015): Liquidity in retirement savings systems. An international comparison. In: The American economic review, Jg. 105, H. 5, S. 420-425. DOI:10.1257/aer.p20151004

Abstract

"We compare the liquidity that six developed countries have built into their employer-based defined contribution (DC) retirement schemes. In Germany, Singapore, and the UK, withdrawals are essentially banned no matter what kind of transitory income shock the household realizes. By contrast, in Canada and Australia, liquidity is state-contingent. For a middle-income household, DC accounts are completely illiquid unless annual income falls substantially, in which case DC assets become highly liquid. The US stands alone in the universally high liquidity of its DC system: whether or not income falls, the penalties for early withdrawal are low or non-existent." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Vere, James P. (2011): Social Security and elderly labor supply. Evidence from the Health and Retirement Study. In: Labour economics, Jg. 18, H. 5, S. 676-686. DOI:10.1016/j.labeco.2011.02.001

Abstract

"This study uses panel data from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) to estimate the effects of Social Security income on elderly labor supply in the 1990s and early 2000s. The identification strategy takes advantage of the 1977 amendments to the Social Security Act, which led to a large, unanticipated reduction in Social Security benefits for those born after January 1, 1917. Despite the advanced age of the notch cohorts, there is a significant, negative and surprisingly elastic relationship between Social Security income and hours of work. This suggests that currently proposed reductions in benefits would induce Social Security recipients to work more hours in retirement, even through their 70s and early 80s." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Washko, Michelle M., Ronald W. Schack, Barry A. Goff & Bennett Pudlin (2011): Title V of the Older Americans Act, the senior community service employment program. Participant demographics and service to racially/ethnically diverse populations. In: Journal of Aging and Social Policy, Jg. 23, H. 2, S. 182-197. DOI:10.1080/08959420.2011.554081

Abstract

"Title V of the Older Americans Act, the Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP), is a 40+-year-old federal program providing subsidized community service and employment training to low-income, unemployed individuals aged 55 and older. It is the only nationally mandated workforce training program for seniors. Because of SCSEP's dual mission, participants added 48 million hours of community service (valued at almost $1 billion) to the U.S. economy in 2008. Almost half (48.9%) of the participants are racial or ethnic minorities, which makes it crucial to understand the program experience of these individuals. Participation, program duration, and employment placement of minorities are examined. Findings show successful enrollment rates, an interactive effect of age and education on program duration, and no indication of a minority disadvantage in employment placement. Recommendations include funding for innovative grants, leveraging of federal partnerships, and targeted technical assistance." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Cahill, Kevin E., Michael D. Giandrea & Joseph F. Quinn (2010): Employment patterns and determinants among older individuals with a history of short-duration jobs. (BLS working paper 440), Washington, 34 S.

Abstract

"Many studies of labor force withdrawal patterns have focused on individuals who have had career jobs. This paper compares the demographic and economic characteristics of individuals who have never had a full-time career (FTC) job with those who have, and compares the timing and types of job switches that both groups make later in life. The comparison between non-FTC and FTC individuals is important because decisions by policymakers based on the existing retirement literature may have unintended consequences for individuals with only a series of short-duration jobs.
We use a sample of respondents from the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) who have worked since age 50, and stratify respondents according to whether an individual has ever had a job that consists of 1,600 or more hours per year and lasts for at least ten years (i.e., a full-time career job). We find that individuals without FTC jobs are a heterogeneous group, representing individuals in many wage and occupational categories. Not surprisingly, we also find that individuals without FTC jobs are less likely than those with FTC jobs to be working in subsequent survey years. However, we find that the labor force withdrawal patterns of non-FTC individuals are similar to those of FTC individuals in many respects. In particular, individuals without FTC jobs change jobs later in life just as frequently as those with FTC jobs. Switching rates between wage-and-salary employment to self-employment and between white-collar and blue-collar jobs are largely similar by FTC status, as are reductions in wages later in life. Overall, the findings reveal that the work decisions later in life of individuals who have never had career employment are diverse, just as they are for individuals with career jobs." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Heywood, John S. & W. Stanley Siebert (2009): Understanding the labour market for older workers. A survey. (IZA discussion paper 4033), Bonn, 27 S.

Abstract

"The paper asks why retirement can be so abrupt in countries such as France ( 1/2% of the workforce over 65), yet staged in Japan (8% over 65). We find part of the answer in tax laws that prevent people working and receiving a pension, and make little allowance for fair pension increases if retirement is deferred. While these laws have begun to change, we find another part of the answer in employment protection laws. These laws coupled with inflexible collectively agreed wages make employers choosy about hiring the old. The advent of 'age discrimination' law reinforces employment protection and may well reduce older workers' hiring opportunities especially where wages are rigid." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Jefferson, Therese (2009): Women and retirement pensions. A research review. In: Feminist economics, Jg. 15, H. 4, S. 115-145. DOI:10.1080/13545700903153963

Abstract

"The links between women's caring work and access to economic resources are particularly critical in the context of widespread public policy debates about retirement and pensions, many of which neglect care as a key issue for analysis. However, among feminist economists it is widely recognized that women's patterns of care provision have adverse implications for their access to economic resources in later life. The feminist economics literature examines many of the interactions between women's caring roles and their access to resources, particularly women's capacity to access economic resources through publicly mandated or regulated pension schemes. This article reviews research that places women's patterns of work and care at the center of analyses of retirement pension policy in an effort to provide a summary of research on gender and pensions policy and to contrast the extent to which differing institutional and policy frameworks accommodate women's caring roles." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Saint-Paul, Gilles (2009): Does the welfare state make older workers unemployable? (IZA discussion paper 4440), Bonn, 48 S.

Abstract

"This paper discusses the specificities of the labor market for older workers. It discusses the implications of those specificities for the effect of labor market institutions on the employability of those workers. It shows that while unemployment benefits indexed backwards and hiring costs are likely to harm these workers more than the average worker, the converse is true for employment protection, provided it is uniform across workers and not specifically higher for older workers. It provides some evidence on the impact of labor market institutions on older workers by comparing their outcome in the United States and France. It discusses how the welfare state can be reformed in order to improve outcomes for older workers." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Coile, Courtney C. & Phillip B. Levine (2006): Labor market shocks and retirement. Do government programs matter? (NBER working paper 12559), Cambridge, Mass., 36 S. DOI:10.3386/w12559

Abstract

"This paper examines how unemployment affects retirement and whether the Unemployment Insurance (UI) system and Social Security (SS) system affect how older workers respond to labor market shocks. To do so, we use pooled cross-sectional data from the March Current Population Survey (CPS) as well as March CPS files matched between one year and the next and longitudinal data from the Health and Retirement Survey (HRS). We find that downturns in the labor market increase retirement transitions. The magnitude of this effect is comparable to that associated with moderate changes in financial incentives to retire and to the threat of a health shock to which older workers are exposed. Interestingly, retirements only increase in response to an economic downturn once workers become SS-eligible, suggesting that retirement benefits may help alleviate the income loss associated with a weak labor market. We also estimate the impact of UI generosity on retirement and find little consistent evidence of an effect. This suggests that in some ways SS may serve as a more effective form of unemployment insurance for older workers than UI." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Lahey, Joanna (2006): State age protection laws and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act. (NBER working paper 12048), Cambridge, Mass., 35 S. DOI:10.3386/w12048

Abstract

"Some anti-discrimination laws have the perverse effect of harming the very class they were meant to protect. This paper provides evidence that age discrimination laws belong to this perverse class. Prior to the enforcement of the federal law, state laws had little effect on older workers, suggesting that firms either knew little about these laws or did not see them as a threat. After the enforcement of the federal Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA) in 1979, white male workers over the age of 50 in states with age discrimination laws worked between 1 and 1.5 fewer weeks per year than workers in states without laws. These men are also .3 percentage points more likely to be retired and .2 percentage points less likely to be hired. These findings suggest that in an anti-age discrimination environment, firms seek to avoid litigation through means not intended by the legislation - by not employing older workers in the first place." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Macnicol, John (2006): Age discrimination. An historical and contemporary analysis. Cambridge u.a.: Cambridge University Press, 308 S. DOI:10.2277/0521612608

Abstract

"Age discrimination is a highly topical issue in all industrialised societies, against a background of concerns about shortening working lives and ageing populations in the future. Based upon detailed research, and adopting an interdisciplinary approach, this unique study traces the history of the age discrimination debate in Britain and the USA since the 1930s. It critically analyses the concepts of ageism in social relations and age discrimination in employment. Case-studies on generational equity and health care rationing by age are followed by an analysis of the British government's initiatives against age discrimination in employment. The book then traces the history of the debate on health status and old age, addressing the question of whether working capacity has improved sufficiently to justify calls to delay retirement and extend working lives. It concludes with a detailed examination of the origins and subsequent working of the USA's 1967 Age Discrimination in Employment Act." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Abstract

"Germany currently finds itself amidst profound demographic change. The tasks of the future workplace will fall on the shoulders of a smaller and older potential workforce. The 2006 Carl Bertelsmann Prize for Active Aging in Economy and Society is founded on the belief that combining growth and innovation with a high employment rate while preserving social cohesion can only succeed if we foster and utilize the employment potential of every individual. In view of demographic changes, we need to preserve the value-generating potential, skills and experience of older people in particular for our economy and society, and promote their (re)integration into the workplace. In light of high unemployment levels among seniors - and not just in Germany - keeping older people in the workforce longer will demand integrated efforts in various social sectors and on various social levels. This publication presents and discusses challenges, perspectives and strategies that could be very significant as elements of a comprehensive strategy for active aging in Germany." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Cornetz, Wolfgang & Holger Schäfer (2005): Bessere Beschäftigungschancen für Ältere mit wachsender Bedeutung der Dienstleistungen? Ein deutsch-amerikanischer Vergleich. In: G. Huber, H. Krämer & H. D. Kurz (Hrsg.) (2005): Einkommensverteilung, technischer Fortschritt und struktureller Wandel : Festschrift für Peter Kalmbach, S. 403-424.

Abstract

Die Bedeutung und die Folgen des demografischen Wandels für Ökonomie und Arbeitsmarkt werden untersucht. Dabei wird gefragt, wie sich das Altern der Gesellschaft auf Wachstumsprozess und Arbeitsmarkt auswirkt, aber auch umgekehrt, welche Bedeutung die voraussichtliche Entwicklung der Wirtschaftsstruktur für die Arbeitsmarktchancen älterer Menschen hat. An Hand einer OECD-Studie von 2003 wird die Beschäftigungssituation der 55- bis 64-Jährigen in zehn OECD-Staaten vergleichend betrachtet. Die Risiken einer alternden Bevölkerung und die grundsätzlichen Bestimmungsgründe der Erwerbsbeteiligung älterer Arbeitnehmer werden herausgearbeitet. Dabei wird die jugendzentrierte Personalpolitik in Deutschland kritisiert, während gleichzeitig die Defizit-Hypothese des Alterns nicht belegt werden kann. Vor diesem Hintergrund wird der Strukturwandel unter den älteren Erwerbstätigen seit den 1990er Jahren im deutsch-amerikanischen Vergleich untersucht. Insgesamt besteht ein prinzipiell positiver Zusammenhang zwischen dem Umfang von Dienstleistungstätigkeiten und dem Beschäftigungsgrad Älterer, wie er in den USA bereits sichtbar wird. Er kann durch zielgerichtete politische und betriebliche Maßnahmen verstärkt werden. (IAB)

Zitatform

Green, Carole A. (2005): Race, ethnicity, and social security retirement age in the US. In: Feminist economics, Jg. 11, H. 2, S. 117-143. DOI:10.1080/13545700500115969

Abstract

"This study uses the AHEAD survey to examine the effects of increasing the Social Security retirement age in the United States by modeling the labor force participation decisions of men and women over the age of 65. Separate probit analyses by gender with interaction terms indicate that race/ethnicity is only marginally important in these decisions after controlling for key factors such as health, physical and mental disabilities, education, and nonlabor income. However, detailed examination reveals highly significant differences by race and ethnicity in all of these critical factors, as well as in the distribution of previous occupations. Although elderly blacks and Hispanics have greater financial need than whites, they have significantly less ability to continue working for pay. Thus, seemingly race- and ethnicity-neutral policies such as increasing the full Social Security retirement age may have disproportionate negative effects on elderly members of minority groups in the US." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

(2005): Ageing and employment policies. United States. (Ageing and employment policies), Paris, 193 S. DOI:10.1787/9789264009608-en

Abstract

"In some respects, the United States is better placed than many other OECD countries to cope with population ageing. First, its population is projected to age less rapidly over the next half century than in most OECD countries. Second public expenditure an old-age pensions is quite low by OECD standards and is expected to increase only modestly over the next half century relative to GDP. Third, labour market outcomes for older people in the United States are generally better than in many OECD countries. For instance, over two-thirds of all Americans aged 50-64 are working - which places the United States in the top third of OECD countries - and, while only about one-fifth of Americans aged 65-74 are working, this is still well above the OECD average. And, last but not least, life expectancy and health outcomes more generally are expected to continue to improve over the coming decades, opening up greater opportunities for older Americans to both extend their working lives and enjoy more years of retirement." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Adams, Scott J. (2004): Age discrimination legislation and the employment of older workers. In: Labour economics, Jg. 11, H. 2, S. 219-241. DOI:10.1016/j.labeco.2003.06.001

Abstract

"Using state variation in age discrimination legislation from the 1960s, I present estimates that imply laws increase employment among individuals in protected age ranges. Among older workers that are above age ranges covered by laws, however, employment declines. Estimates also show that there is a decrease in retirement among the protected workers. On the other hand, no evidence is presented that suggests older workers are more likely to be hired as a result of the legislation." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Even, William E. & David A. Macpherson (2004): Do pensions impede phased retirement? (IZA discussion paper 1353), Bonn, 37 S.

Abstract

"Many workers reveal a preference for a gradual reduction in work hours as they approach retirement ('phased retirement'), rather than a sudden change from full-time work to full-time retirement. Pension regulations may impede phased retirement without a switch of employers by prohibiting access to pension assets. This study uses Health and Retirement Survey data to investigate the extent to which a gradual reduction in work hours is made difficult by pensions, particularly defined benefit plans. The study also explores other possible impediments to phased retirement." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Funk, Lothar (2004): Mehr Beschäftigung für Ältere. Lehren aus dem Ausland. (IW-Positionen 08), Köln, S. 1-64.

Abstract

"Von 100 Einwohnern im Alter von 55 bis 64 Jahren waren in Deutschland im Jahr 2002 nur noch 38,4 Prozent beschäftigt. Das sind deutlich weniger als vor dreißig Jahren, als noch fast 50 Prozent erwerbstätig waren. Die Entwicklung in einer Reihe von Ländern zeigt, dass es möglich ist, höhere Erwerbstätigenquoten Älterer zu erreichen. Ausgehend von einem teilweise ähnlich geringen Niveau wie in Deutschland steigerten sie in wenigen Jahren die Erwerbstätigkeit Älterer erheblich. Hieraus lassen sich wesentliche Bedingungen für mehr Beschäftigung Älterer ableiten: Erstens könnten die Rentensysteme so gestaltet werden, dass ein vorzeitiges Ausscheiden aus dem Erwerbsleben weniger leicht und finanziell unattraktiv für Arbeitnehmer und Arbeitgeber ist. Zweitens verhilft ein geringer Regelungsgrad bei den Arbeitsverhältnissen zu einer hohen Erwerbstätigkeit aller und vor allem auch Älterer. Drittens würden höhere Investitionen in das vorhandene Humankapital auch über das 45. Lebensjahr hinaus erheblich dazu beitragen, die Beschäftigungsfähigkeit Älterer zu verbessern." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)

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Funk, Lothar (2004): Employment opportunities for older wokers. A comparison of selected OECD countries. In: CESifo DICE report, Jg. 2, H. 2, S. 22-33.

Abstract

Es werden die Anteile der Beschäftigten im Alter zwischen 55 und 64 Jahren für verschiedenen Länder gegenübergestellt und für den Zeitraum 1970 bis 2002 verglichen. Erfolgreiche Länder mir einem Anteil über 50 Prozent sind Schweden, Schweiz, USA, Dänemark und Großbritannien, während Irland, Finnland und die Niederlande zwar darunter liegen, aber in den letzten Jahren stark aufgeholt haben. Deutschland liegt mit nur 38,4 Prozent Beschäftigung Älterer für 2002 nach wie vor an letzter Stelle. Als Einflussfaktoren für höhere Beschäftigungsquoten älterer Arbeitnehmer werden diskutiert: Möglichst weitgehende Deregulierung des Arbeitsmarktes; Anhebung des Ruhestandsalters durch Verringerung entsprechender finanzieller Anreize; Höhere Investitionen in Humankapital; Umstellungen der Arbeitszeitregelungen und Arbeitsorganisation. (IAB)

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Hutchens, Robert M. & Karen Grace-Martin (2004): Who among white collar workers has a opportunity for phased retirement? (IZA discussion paper 1155), Bonn, 40 S.

Abstract

"Utilizing a new survey of employers, this paper examines how and why establishments differ in their willingness to permit an older full-time white-collar worker to take phased retirement. Phased retirement means that an older worker remains with his or her employer while gradually reducing work hours and effort. Although older workers often express an interest in phased retirement, actual occurrences are evidently rare. A possible explanation is that employers limit opportunities for phased retirement. The survey indicates that employers are often willing to permit phased retirement, but primarily as an informal arrangement. The results also indicate that opportunities for phased retirement are greater in establishments that employ part-time white-collar workers, allow job sharing, and have flexible starting times. Opportunities tend to be more limited in establishments where white collar workers are unionized, and where the establishment is part of a larger organization." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Allen, Steven G., Robert L. Clark & Linda S. Ghent (2003): Phasing into retirement. (NBER working paper 9779), Cambridge, Mass., 30 S. DOI:10.3386/w9779

Abstract

"Employers have been launching phased retirement programs to help workers navigate the transition from work to retirement more effectively. This paper examines the experience of the phased retirement system for tenured faculty in the University of North Carolina system. After phased retirement was introduced, there was a sizable increase in the overall separation rate in the system. A multinomial logit model of the retirement decision as a function of pension incentives, employee performance, demographics, and campus characteristics is developed. The key empirical result is that the odds of entering phased retirement are strongly and inversely related to employee performance, as measured by recent pay increases." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Funk, Lothar, Hans-Peter Klös, Susanne Seyda, Rolf Birk & Bernd Waas (2003): Beschäftigungschancen für ältere Arbeitnehmer. Internationaler Vergleich und Handlungsempfehlungen. Gütersloh: Verlag Bertelsmann Stiftung, 229 S.

Abstract

Die Autoren untersuchen in einem internationalen Vergleich, welche gesetzlichen und tarifrechtlichen Rahmenbedingungen beschäftigungspolitisch erfolgreiche Länder geschaffen haben, um die Berufstätigkeit älterer Arbeitnehmer und die Reintegration älterer Arbeitsloser in den Arbeitsmark zu fördern. Die Länderstudien beziehen sich neben Deutschland auf die Schweiz, die USA, Dänemark, Großbritannien, Irland, Finnland und die Niederlande. Die volkswirtschaftlichen Effekte der geringen Alterserwerbstätigkeit in Deutschland wie Belastung der sozialen Sicherungssysteme und entgangene Wertschöpfungspotenziale werden abgeschätzt. Als Anregungen von ausländischen Systemen werden Anreize zur Frühverrentung, Flexibilität des Arbeitsmarktes sowie Humankapitalbildung und lebensbegleitendes Lernen diskutiert. Empfehlungen für die Tarif-, Sozial-, Regulierungs- und Qualifizierungspolitik werden gegeben. (IAB)

Zitatform

Taylor, Philip (2002): New policies for older workers. (Transitions after 50 series), Bristol: Policy Press, 45 S.

Abstract

"Against a background of population ageing, policy makers in the majority of industrialised countries are developing policies aimed at extending working life and promoting the benefits of employing older workers. This report reviews developments in several countries and offers recommendations for public policy. Based on a review of recent literature and interviews with experts in Australia, Finland, Germany, Japan, The Netherlands and the USA, this report will be invaluable reading for policy makers, practitioners and campaigners." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))