Labour market participation in later ages is significantly associated with a bunch of elements, both objective and subjective. On the objective side, job quality (meaning wage, work conditions, autonomy, supervising responsibility) is the main driver for work attachment. However the increased macroeconomic instability has put older workers at a higher risk of job dismissal, raising the issue of contractual arrangements. In this respect, the widespread use of temporary contracts may reduce the disadvantage of dismissed older worker in re-entering into formal employment. However empirical evidence [Booth et al. (2002); Cappellari et al. (2012)] suggests that older workers are more likely to be trapped in temporary contracts than younger ones. Also, the risk of losing temporary contracts and becoming unemployed is larger for older workers. Similarly, the permanent/temporary differential of wage levels and wage instability worsens with age. On the subjective side, older workers face a decline in their level of competences, which is exacerbated by lower educational attainment as well as by weaker ties with the labour market (as in the case of the female component). In addition, perceived health has been shown to be negatively correlated with the probability of being employed, especially at later stages of life. Thus policy-making faces a trade-off between raising retirement age (thus forcing people to revise their retirement plans irrespective of their subjective and objective work conditions) and increasing work instability, caused by increased flexibility and reduced employment protection. In the present project we aim to work on four research lines: 1) using WHIP data 1985-2004, provide a thorough analysis of the labour market instability (both in terms of employment and earnings) for older workers in Italy 2) using ALL (2003) and PIAAC (2013) data on competences, provide a clear description of the correlation between up-grading/de-grading of competence accumulation along the life-cycle 3) using SHARE data, explore the impact of individual self-reported health on older people's labour market behaviour, considering both the extensive (labour force participation) and the intensive margins (working hours) in several European countries. 4) using SHARE data, analyse whether the demand of childcare services within the family affects labour supply decisions of elderly workers in Italy.
Labour market participation in later ages is significantly associated with a bunch of elements, both objective and subjective. On the objective side, job quality (meaning wage, work conditions, autonomy, supervising responsibility) is the main driver for work attachment. However the increased macroeconomic instability has put older workers at a higher risk of job dismissal, raising the issue of contractual arrangements. In this respect, the widespread use of temporary contracts may reduce the disadvantage of dismissed older worker in re-entering into formal employment. However empirical evidence [Booth et al. (2002); Cappellari et al. (2012)] suggests that older workers are more likely to be trapped in temporary contracts than younger ones. Also, the risk of losing temporary contracts and becoming unemployed is larger for older workers. Similarly, the permanent/temporary differential of wage levels and wage instability worsens with age. On the subjective side, older workers face a decline in their level of competences, which is exacerbated by lower educational attainment as well as by weaker ties with the labour market (as in the case of the female component). In addition, perceived health has been shown to be negatively correlated with the probability of being employed, especially at later stages of life. Thus policy-making faces a trade-off between raising retirement age (thus forcing people to revise their retirement plans irrespective of their subjective and objective work conditions) and increasing work instability, caused by increased flexibility and reduced employment protection. In the present project we aim to work on four research lines: 1) using WHIP data 1985-2004, provide a thorough analysis of the labour market instability (both in terms of employment and earnings) for older workers in Italy 2) using ALL (2003) and PIAAC (2013) data on competences, provide a clear description of the correlation between up-grading/de-grading of competence accumulation along the life-cycle 3) using SHARE data, explore the impact of individual self-reported health on older people's labour market behaviour, considering both the extensive (labour force participation) and the intensive margins (working hours) in several European countries. 4) using SHARE data, analyse whether the demand of childcare services within the family affects labour supply decisions of elderly workers in Italy.