Understanding the labour market for older workers: a survey

Arbeitspapier

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.

Object Details

• Language: Englisch

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: Series: IZA Discussion Papers ; No. 4033

Classification and Topics

• Classification: Wirtschaft ; Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty: Government Programs; Provision and Effects of Welfare Programs ; Nonwage Labor Costs and Benefits; Retirement Plans; Private Pensions ; Labor Discrimination
• Subject: Mandatory retirement ; deferred pay ; age discrimination ; older workers ; Altersgrenze ; Flexible Altersgrenze ; Ältere Arbeitskräfte ; Arbeitsmarktdiskriminierung ; Einkommensteuer ; Kündigungsschutz ; Ökonomischer Anreiz ; OECD-Staaten

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Geistige Schöpfung
• (who): Heywood, John S. ; Siebert, William Stanley
• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (who): Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA)
• (where): Bonn
• (when): 2009

Further information

• Handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10419/35777
• URN: urn:nbn:de:101:1-20090306267
• Last update: 10.03.2025, 11:41 AM CET