Almost Half of Workers Retire Earlier Than Planned

The truth of the matter is that

comparatively few employed people have the combination of stamina, skills, health, job setting, family situation, willing boss, and ongoing demand for their services---all of which must coincide for people to keep working "as long as they like." Oh, as a greeter at Wal*Mart? Maybe. In the public sector with strong union protection? Maybe.

At a "good" job in the private sector? Far more doubtful unless you have significant ownership stake in the place where you're working.

The doctrine of "Employment at will" and the overwhelming perverse incentive on businesses to get rid of 50+ workers before they have costly health claims--are both operating to kill the intent of laws we passed years ago to prohibit age discrimination. Those laws are now mostly toothless. This is just another reason why America should have single-payer health care with employers completely disconnected from it.

Muser of NM @ Jul 21, 2009 12:20:08 PM

Retirement

I retired at age 79. I'm healthy and intended to work til I dropped, but I think I was forced out because of age and color discriminatio.

gj of CT @ Jul 21, 2009 08:10:22 AM