Older workers - a better future?

As millions of baby boomers age, longer life spans and falling birth rates pose serious challenges to workers, employers, and the economy. The Government Accountability Office (GAO) yesterday released a report on the implications of an aging workforce on the nation's productivity, public benefits (Social Security and Medicare), and retirement and health programs. At the same time, many older Americans face less secure retirements. GAO found that these looming problems could be mitigated if employers had policies to hire and retain older workers and if older workers who wanted to work were given viable options to do so. GAO recommends that the Dept. of Labor (DOL) mount a high-profile public awareness campaign to help employers and employees better plan for the future and to bridge the gap between their respective needs.

OLDER WORKERS: Labor Can Help Employers and Employees Plan Better for the Future, GAO-06-80.
     Full report (PDF, 9.98MB, 60p.)
     Highlights (PDF, 76KB, 1p.)
     Abstract (HTML)