Updated September 2025
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, about two-thirds of people between the ages of 55 and 64 participated in the American labor force in 2024, while almost one-in-five people over the age of 65 did so. Excluding a couple of pandemic years, the percentage of the labor force that is 65 or older has steadily increased in the current century. Older women, veterans, and workers with special needs make up an increasing percentage of the workforce, and many remain in the workforce far beyond “retirement age” due to shrinking pensions and dwindling or inadequate retirement assets.
While many older workers fear being pushed aside and out of their jobs by younger, more dynamic employees, their skills and abilities are likely to be more in demand than ever before. Skills and abilities of older workers are not so much declining as shifting, and while physical strength is surely declining with age, for some abilities our bodies actually have a remarkable capability to maintain them.
Age Discrimination in the Workplace
The US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission [Kayla: link US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to https://www.eeoc.gov/] received 16,223 charges of age discrimination in 2024, almost 2,000 more than it received in 2023. Although the number is lower than the peak of 24,582 in 2008, legal and employment experts say age discrimination is a common phenomenon that will increase with millennials eager to enter the workforce and baby boomers reluctant to leave it.
Although the Age Discrimination Employment Act of 1967 prohibits discrimination against people 40 and older, AARP surveys consistently show that 64% of workers age 50-plus report seeing or experiencing age discrimination in the workplace.
Why Hire Older Workers?
AARP’s Business Case Report indicates that, in addition to their work experience, the value of hiring mature workers includes:
- Low turnover rates — According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the median job tenure for workers in the 55 – 64 age range is more than 3.5 times that of workers 25-34 years old.
- Punctuality — they show up on time.
- Honest — personal integrity is high among this age group.
- Good listener — a key to good customer service skills.
- High levels of engagement — research shows that motivation evolves with age and that workers tend to reach peak motivation at age 60.
- Skill levels — Mature workers have higher skill levels in the areas of math, reading and writing.
Resources
AARP, formerly known as The American Association of Retired Persons, has some excellent resources for older job seekers on their website. They include:
- Employer Pledge Program: More than 1,000 employers nationwide have pledged to promote equal opportunity in employment, regardless of age.
- Retirementjobs.com: AARP is partnering with Retirementjobs.com which is a job board for mature workers.
- AARP Senior Community Service Employment Program: This program helps low-income individuals with on-the-job training.
Other Resources
- The Center on Aging and Work at Boston College
- Equal Opportunity Employment Commission
- US Department of Labor
(This article was updated September 2025.)