Purpose: This article investigates how older Americans leave their career jobs and estimates the extent of intermediate labor force activity (bridge jobs) between full-time work on a career job and complete labor-force withdrawal. Design and Methods: Using data from the Health and Retirement Study, we explored the work histories and retirement…

The recent decline in the labor force participation rates of older Americans is well known and well documented. Dramatic changes in male participation rates occurred between 1968 and 1986. Declines were substantial as early as age 55 and as late as age 70. The trends for older women were much less dramatic. In 1988, nearly half of employed men and…

A model for examining the two basic approaches of encouraging later retirement is presented in which the coercive approach relies primarily on negative incentives such as benefit reductions, and the voluntary approach encourages continued employment through positive incentives and increased employment opportunities. The degree to which these…

A study analyzed the changing nature of older persons in the labor force, factors that may affect their work decisions, and policy changes that could facilitate their continuation or reentry into the work force beyond the normal retirement age. Data examined during the survey indicate that while the number of people aged 65 and older is continuing…

This document analyzes the labor market problems of displaced older workers. Chapter 1 is an introduction. Chapter 2 describes the magnitude of the problems of unemployment, discouragement, and displacement of older workers. The outcomes of unemployment are discussed, with attention to the duration of unemployment, the effects of displacement, and…

The population of the United States is aging and will age even more rapidly in the coming years. Yet our public and private retirement and benefits policies continue to favor early retirement--in spite of clear demographic trends, in spite of legislation raising the mandatory retirement age from 65 to 70, in spite of the fact that many of our…