The older workers topic area examines a broad range of employment and training programs funded by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration and other organizations and broad federal or state policies that support and/or improve the employment prospects and financial security of workers age 40 and older. CLEAR assessed the strength of causal evidence provided in each study and summarized each study’s design, methods, findings, and the intervention examined.
Older Workers
Status: Literature reviewed in this topic area currently covers 2005 – 2017.
Synthesis Reports
Synthesis reports look at the research evidence across studies within a topic area. They also highlight gaps in the literature, and suggest areas in which further research is needed.
1866
Findings:
Although most workforce programs serve older workers, few specifically focus on this population, and research has not evaluated these programs’ impacts.
Studies that examined the impact of broader workforce programs, such as the Workforce Investment Act Dislocated Worker program, did not focus on older workers.
Early retirement among older workers was found to be lower in firms that allow flexible work schedules.
Changes to the Social Security retirement benefits appear to have been able to influence older workers’ decisions regarding whether to stay in the labor force.
Changes in health insurance provision have mixed or small impacts on older workers’ employment outcomes.
View full synthesis report: Older Workers Synthesis
Recently Added
CLEAR searches the existing literature for research relevant to this topic area's focus. Browse the most recently reviewed research below.
Displaying 1 - 10 of 46
Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis
The study’s objective was to examine the impact of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) on the probability of retirement, expected age of retirement, and expected age of claiming Social Security…Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis
The study’s objective was to examine the impact of Social Security coverage on public school teachers’ retirement decisions. The authors conducted…Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis
The study's objective was to examine the impact of 2005 reform to the Employees' Retirement System of Rhode Island (ERSRI) on employee separation. The reform enacted reductions to retirement…Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis
The study’s objective is to examine the impact of 1983 and 2000 policy changes that removed the Social Security earnings test for certain age groups on the earnings and employment outcomes of…Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis
The study examined the impact of the expansion of health insurance for veterans through the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) in the mid-1990s (as a result of the implementation of the…Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis
The study’s objective was to examine the impact of the national health policies of the United States and Denmark on employment of older workers after a health shock, defined as a new cancer or…Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis
The study examined the impact of enforcement of age discrimination laws on the employment and earnings of older male workers The author used a nonexperimental regression model and data from the…Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis
The study examined the impacts of various Workforce Investment Act (WIA) programs and services on the employment rates of older participants who exited these programs. The study used a statistical…Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis
The study examined the impact of a time and place management (TPM) initiative at a medical provider on retirement expectations among workers ages 50 and older. The study was a randomized control…Study Type: Causal Impact Analysis
The study examined the impact of a theoretical increase in Supplemental Security Income (SSI) benefits on the preretirement employment outcomes for likely SSI participants ages 60 to 64. Using data…
CLEAR Icon Key
Below is a key for icons used to indicate important details about a study, such as its type, evidence rating, and outcome findings.
High Causal Evidence
Strong evidence the effects are caused by the examined intervention.
Moderate Causal Evidence
Evidence that the effects are caused to some degree by the examined intervention.
Low Causal Evidence
Little evidence that the effects are caused by the examined intervention.
Causal Impact Analysis
Uses quantitative methods to assess the effectiveness of a program, policy, or intervention.
Descriptive Analysis
Describes a program, policy, or intervention using qualitative or quantitative methods.
Implementation Analysis
Examines the implementation of a program, policy, or intervention.
Favorable
The study found at least one favorable impact in the outcome domain, and no unfavorable impacts.
Mixed
The study found some favorable and some unfavorable impacts in the outcome domain.
None
The study found no statistically significant impacts in the outcome domain.
Unfavorable
The study found at least one unfavorable impact in the outcome domain, and no favorable impacts.
Not applicable
Not applicable because no outcomes were examined in the outcome domain.
Favorable - low evidence
The study found at least one favorable impact in the outcome domain, and no unfavorable impacts. The study received a low causal evidence ratings so these findings should be interpreted with caution.
Mixed - low evidence
The study found some favorable and some unfavorable impacts in the outcome domain. The study received a low causal evidence ratings so these findings should be interpreted with caution.
None - low evidence
The study found no statistically significant impacts in the outcome domain. The study received a low causal evidence ratings so these findings should be interpreted with caution.
Unfavorable - low evidence
The study found at least one unfavorable impact in the outcome domain, and no favorable impacts. The study received a low causal evidence ratings so these findings should be interpreted with caution.