EMPLOYMENT, WELFARE AND THE LIFE-COURSE - THE RESULTS OF AN INTERNATIONAL COMPARISON OF EARLY WITHDRAWAL FROM THE LABOR-FORCE

The percentage of people working after the age of 55 has considerably decreased in Europe and North America. As a result, welfare programs h ave been reformed, since old-age funds are no longer capable of provid ing benefits to the growing number of jobless, older workers. Early wi thdrawal from the labor force has changed the way the transition is ma de from one stage to another in the life course. It is symmetrical to young people's later entry into the world of work. As a consequence, t he time of work is being concentrated on a narrower age-group.