Association for Public Policy Analysis & Management

The Great Recession profoundly affected the labor market experiences of older workers around the world, but how did its impact on older workers in the United States compare with that felt by older workers in other affluent countries? To address this question, this paper uses data from the Health and Retirement Study, the Survey on Health, Ageing, and Retirement in Europe, and several other comparable surveys to explore the labor market characteristics and outcomes of individuals aged 50 or older in 23 affluent countries over the period from 2002 to 2012. In addition to examining changes in the demographic composition of older workers in these countries before, during, and after the Great Recession, the paper comparatively analyzes trends in employment status, earnings, and work-to-retirement transitions. To help put these trends into context, the paper also considers the broader economic conditions and labor market policies found in the individual countries. Through these analyses, the paper seeks to add a new perspective to discussions about how older workers in the US have fared since the Great Recession and to identify areas for future comparative research on older workers. By combining and examining survey data on aging and retirement from multiple countries, the paper also aims to highlight the main advantages and disadvantages of this analytical approach and draw attention to some of the methodological challenges of cross-national research (including the development of consistent concepts and measures).