In this working paper we address the broader issue of older individuals’ participation in the labour market in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The focus is twofold: on the one hand, it examines employment trends, and the dynamics of both voluntary and involuntary labour market exits among older workers during the pandemic period, with particular attention to how the crisis influenced retirement and withdrawal decisions. On the other hand, it investigates a different but closely related phenomenon: the risk of labour market exclusion due to prolonged inactivity among older individuals who are not formally retired but are no longer engaged in employment. This situation may reflect hidden forms of marginalisation, especially in contexts where reintegration into the workforce becomes increasingly difficult with age.
The working paper is organised as follows, first a short overview of the impact of COVID-19 on older workers, then divided into two main parts: Section A explores the dynamics of both voluntary and involuntary exits from the labour market among older workers during the COVID-19 pandemic, drawing on data from the SHARE survey. Section B uses data from the EU-SILC to examine the risk of labour market exclusion among older individuals who are no longer employed but have not formally remarks retired, focusing on cases of prolonged inactivity that may signal marginalisation rather than a deliberate retirement decision. Both sections describe the data sources, methodological approach, the main findings, and concluding remarks.
Authors: Andreea Alecu, Arianna Vivoli, Maria Johanna Aartsen, Iuliana Precupetu, Elisabeth Ugreninov