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Men
55 and older: Work or retire?
Roman Habtu
Slow population
growth and aging baby boomers have made the population
55 and over an important potential source of labour. Sustaining
Canada’s labour supply will require prolonging the labour
force participation of older workers or increasing immigration,
already a major contributor to population growth. What
are the characteristics of men 55 and over who are no
longer active in the labour market, and what are their
reasons for inactivity? Is inactivity ‘voluntary’ or ‘involuntary’?
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December 2002
Vol.
3, no. 12
The labour market: Up north, down south
Geoff Bowlby and Jeannine Usalcas
Few major economies are as intertwined as those of Canada and the United States. However, while the U.S. went into official recession in 2001, Canada showed only one quarter during which the economy shrank. The divergence in labour market trends was even more marked. Canadian employment eked out a small gain in 2001 and saw explosive growth in the first seven months of 2002. U.S. employment dropped sharply in 2001 and was flat through the first part of 2002.
Older workers and the labour market
Geoff Rowe and Huan Nguyen
While many older workers voluntarily withdraw from the labour market, those who leave involuntarily may face reduced job opportunities, or be forced to accept lower-quality or lower-wage jobs. Some may even decide that further job search is fruitless. The resulting ‘hidden unemployment’ could resemble retirement. This article evaluates the relative importance of retirement and involuntary job loss.
Key labour and income facts
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