Signing up...one moment please.Cited from EBRI February 18, 2010 by Craig Copeland
In a study published by the Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI), it is reported that the labor-force participation rate for older Americans (ages 55 and older) is increasing, which in turn, attributes higher health and 
economic costs for retirement expenses. For the aging employee, contributing to a retirement plan such as a 401k program and paying for health insurance is becoming a necessity, instead of using their own savings to attribute post-retirement costs. Therefore, the study finds, the aging population attributes employer-offered health care and contribution programs as incentives to continue working rather than choosing to retire.
Amongst the findings, EBRI found that nearly 40% of the 55 and older population are currently working. When looking at gender of the near-elderly population, women’s participation in the workforce is increasing while the male participation rate is flat to declining. The EBRI study also suggests that as the level of educational attainment increases, so does the length of participation in the workforce. Those with a higher educational attainment stay in the workforce longer than those who do not.
To read the EBRI Study “Labor Force Participation Rates: The Population Age 55 and Older, 2008” click here.
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Article Citation: Copeland, Craig. (2010). Labor Force Participation Rates: The Population Age 55 and Older, 2008. Notes, 3(2) 10-17
