Fact Sheet Older Adults' Labor Force Participation since 1993: A Decade and a Half of Growth
Richard W. Johnson, James Kaminski
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Labor force participation rates have increased sharply for older men and women over the past 16 years. Between 1993 and 2009, the share of adults working or looking for work increased 39 percent for men and 66 percent for women. In 2009, adults age 55 and older made up nearly a fifth of the nations labor force, the highest share since 1948 when these records began. The growth in senior participation rates added 3.2 million adults age 62 and older to the nations workforce in 2009, compared with the number who would have participated if rates remained at their 1993 levels.
Research Areas Aging and retirement
Tags Older workers Retirement policy
Policy Centers Income and Benefits Policy Center