Perspectives on Labour and Income - November 2007

Volume 8 Number 11

Pensions and retirement savings of families

René Morissette and Yuri Ostrovsky

Prime-aged couples experienced a moderate decline in RPP coverage over the last two decades, as the substantial growth in wives' labour market participation and the slight increase in their RPP coverage only partially offset a substantial decline in husbands' coverage. On average, retirement savings of families rose over the last two decades, but the distribution became more unequal. To a large extent, the uneven growth in retirement savings mirrors the sharp increase in family earnings inequality since the early 1980s.

Depression at work

Heather Gilmour and Scott B. Patten

Worldwide, depression is the leading cause of years lived with disability. It can affect many aspects of life, including work. In fact, the impact of depression on job performance has been estimated to be greater than that of chronic conditions. In 2002, almost 4% of employed Canadians aged 25 to 64 had had an episode of depression in the previous year. These workers had high odds of reducing work activity because of a long-term health condition, having at least one mental health disability day in the past two weeks, and being absent from work in the past week. In addition, depression was associated with reduced work activity and disability days two years later.

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