Americans 65 and older are staying on the job, many in full-time positions, opting to stay employed while delaying the final leg of the American Dream, retirement, according to government statistics.
A new Pew Research Center analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics said, “More older Americans – those ages 65 and older – are working than at any time since the turn of the century, and today’s older workers are spending more time on the job than did their peers in previous years.”
As of May, wrote Drew DeSilver, a senior Pew writer, 18.8 percent, or nearly 9 million elderly people, were on the job, a trend that dates at least to 2000 when just 12.8, or about 4 million people, said they were working and skipping retirement at the standard age of 65.
During that period, the recession hit and led to millions of firings. It raised anxiety about jobs and many decided to stick with their jobs rather than quit.
Pew found that even those 75 years old are staying on the job.
“The relatively strong presence of 65-and-older workers is found across age brackets: 65- to 69-year-olds, 70- to 74-year-olds, and those 75 and older. All are working at higher rates than they did in May 2008, the only age groups about which that can be said,” said the analysis.
Paul Bedard, the Washington Examiner’s “Washington Secrets” columnist, can be contacted at [email protected]
