Understanding the Labour Market for Older Workers: A Survey

John Heywood and William Siebert ()

No 4033, IZA Discussion Papers from Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)

Abstract: The paper asks why retirement can be so abrupt in countries such as France (½% 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.

Keywords: age discrimination; older workers; deferred pay; mandatory retirement (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I38 J32 J71 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 27 pages
Date: 2009-02
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-age and nep-lab
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (16)

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