An Aging Labor Force and the Challenges of 65+ Jobseekers

Although the labor force participation rate of older workers is growing, jobseekers ages 65 and older face many challenges in their search for work. Compared with younger jobseekers, they experience longer durations of unemployment, and many encounter age discrimination. They are also more likely to be reentering the labor market after time spent away, or to be rebuilding their career after a layoff.

Policymakers focusing on ways to support longer working life spans to improve savings and income in retirement, reduce pressure on national pension systems, and offset declines in labor force participation rates among younger age cohorts must address the challenges older jobseekers face. This will include developing policies that support widespread access to lifelong learning and education, addressing the narrowing of job options for older workers, which limits how long workers are able to delay retirement, creating strategies that support the reintegration of workers at and beyond traditional retirement age back into the labor market, and fighting age discrimination through strengthening applicable laws.