Employability and productivity among older workers : apolicy framework and evidence from Latin America

As Latin American and the Caribbean countries face rapid aging transitions, the economic contribution of older workers will need to be strengthened. This paper uses household data from Brazil and Mexico to characterize labor market behavior of older workers, such as participation, sectoral and type of employment, and productivity, to identify critical areas for policy intervention. The paper also discusses other social policy related issues like health, remittances, and family arrangements. This paper suggests three areas for labor policy: (i) adjusting social security incentives to extend working life and postpone formal retirement; (ii) adjustments to labor market regulations to increase employment flexibility, smoothing the transition into retirement; and (iii) addressing skill needs through (re) training to maintain productivity and employability. This paper reviews existing evidence on these policy interventions in industrial and developing countries, and suggests areas for future analytical work.