b'AGING IN THE 21ST CENTURYYounger workers in good health Older workers who would like to work longerUnused Capacityare the most likely to return tomay face age discrimination and find it more diffi- Several studies use HRS data on physical func-work after retiring. cult than younger workers to secure employment.tioning to identify people who might be healthy Many states have laws that complement andenough to work at older ages. One report shows sometimes go beyond federal law prohibiting agethat in 2004 about 50% of those aged 51 to 56 Other research looks at who chooses partic- discrimination against older workers. Some statesreport no limitations (Weir 2007). Only 20% of ular retirement paths. Younger workers in goodallow compensatory or punitive damages, which70- to 74-year-olds report no limitations. Among health are the most likely to return to work afterfederal law does not. Stronger state-level agethose not working at various ages, many report retiring (Cahill et al. 2011). One study specificallydiscrimination laws appear to encourage workingeither no or some limitations. Of the 50% or so looks at transitions to bridge employment overlonger and transition into partial retirementnot working between age 62 to 64, 34% report time. Men and women who are younger, in better(Neumark and Song 2013). Keeping options openzero to five limitations. Among the 80% of 70- to health, more educated, less stressed at work, andfor older workers can have macroeconomic bene- 74-year-olds no longer working, about 50% report more satisfied by their job are more likely to movefits but also personal benefits.zero to five limitations. The study categorizes to bridge employment in their career jobs than toHaving the option to choose a preferredremaining life expectancy at each age into work retire (Wang et al. 2008). retirement path can affect our well-being. Howyears, years not working while in health that Retirement transitions differ for men andpeople feel about their retirement transitionpermits work, and years unable to work. Taking women. Forty-three percent of female retireeswhether they are happy in retirementappearsinto account the average life expectancy in 2002, are reemployed following retirement comparedto be mostly affected by whether they reportaverage 51- to 56-year-olds could expect to live with 50% of retired men in the HRS cohort (Pleauchoosing their particular transition or whether itabout another 27 years with 9.7 as years working, 2010). While women with higher earnings beforeis forced upon them (Calvo et al. 2007). 9.9 as years of not working but physically able, retirement are more likely to return to work,and 7.7 years not able to work. wealth and earnings are negatively associatedAre We Healthy Enoughwith reemployment for men. Marital status to Work?Stronger state-levelaffects these findings. Married women with high- Health is clearly important in the decision to er household wealth are less likely to be employedwork longer. Evidence from HRS studies revealsage discrimination lawsafter retirement compared to married womensignificant levels of good health among those noappear to encourage working with less wealth. Divorced and separated womenlonger working, suggesting there may be unusedlonger and transition intohave a greater likelihood of postretirement em- capacity to work at older ages. Other studiespartial retirement.ployment than married women. Kail and Warneruse the detailed longitudinal information on (2013) show that among those who return tohealth and physical functioning in the HRS to work after retirement, men are more likely thancharacterize changes in the health of middle-aged women to return to full-time work whereas wom- people as they age and the factors that influence en are more likely to return to part-time work. those changes. HRS research on chronic disease investigates the relationship of chronic disease, pain, and the onset of limitations in physical functioning. Many studies address the interplay of health and economic resources. 24'