Old-age employment and hours of work trends: Empirical analysis for four European countries

For the last two decades, the increase of employment among individuals aged 50+ has been a policy objective on the European employment agenda. The present paper focuses on the case of Belgium, France, Germany, and The Netherlands over the period 1997–2011. First, we provide descriptive analysis of older workers’employment using data from the European Union Labour Force Survey. Second, we use econometric techniques to explain the different employment and hours of work patterns for various sub-groups of older workers over time. We find evidence of catching up of older generation’s employment rates—with no rupture at the financial crisis in 2007. Third, we use micro-simulation techniques to decompose the effects of structural changes, as well as extensive and intensive labor supply changes.