How do life-course events affect labour market activity among older people? (joint with Morten Blekesaune and Mark Taylor)

We use longitudinal and retrospective data to investigate how early and mid-life events are related to employment outcomes among older people (50-70 years). The key determinants of later life employment are the timing of labour market entry and initial family formation, family size, possession of educational qualifications (especially for women), employment stability (for men), and occupational history (for women). As well as reflecting labour market attachment and affecting pension saving and entitlements, these factors are related to later-life health, which has a major impact on labour market withdrawal. Factors which do not greatly affect later-life employment include parental background, the timing of family events after initial family formation, and the spouse’s employment history. Among women, there is some evidence that the better qualified and more highly skilled leave the labour market earlier, reducing the employment gap due to education and occupation among women over 55.