ABSTRACT

In light of the recent financial crisis and changing economic landscape, McNamara and Williamson present and analyze the possibility of working longer. Including a range of potential policies (e.g., further increasing the age of eligibility for full Social Security benefits, allocating more government resources to retraining and job search assistance for older workers), this is one of the major approaches currently being discussed by policy analysts inside and outside of the government. Emphasizing the role of inequalities and diversity among older adults, this book provides a framework for thinking about the advantages and disadvantages of working past the current retirement age.

This book is for Sociology of Aging, Social Inequalities, and Social Problems courses.

chapter |9 pages

An Aging Population

Is Working Longer the Answer?

chapter |9 pages

Health and Wealth

Cumulative Inequality across the Life Course

chapter |8 pages

Good Jobs

Unequal Access to Employment in Later Life

chapter |12 pages

Unintended Consequences

How Would Working Longer Change Our Lives?