This paper describes early retirement option programs in collective agreements in Sweden during the 1990s. We highlight the differences between actual pension benefits and those stipulated in the standard agreements. We find that the individuals frequently face far better options than those...

We model retirement behavior in Sweden during the 1990ies with focus on voluntary early retirement where there is an option for "buy-outs". An employer can offer the employees generous pension programs if the employee agrees on early retirement. Earlier studies have neglected such offers, but in...

By international standards, unemployment in Sweden remained remarkably low throughout the 1970s and the 1980s. In the early 1990s, however, the unemployment rate skyrocketed and hit double-digit levels. Unemployment remained high for several years but exhibited a marked fall from 1997 and...