![](https://crr.bc.edu/wp-content/uploads/2022/11/older_workers_4-scaled-640x427.jpg.webp)
Can the Bottom Third Work Longer?
The brief’s key findings are:
- The labor force activity of low-skilled men age 50-64 has declined significantly since 1960.
- The decline mirrors the growth of disability insurance, SSI, early retirement benefits, and employers’ preference for high-skilled workers.
- Health has improved for this group, but their disability-free life expectancy remains limited.
- So working until their mid-60s may not be realistic or even desirable for many low-skilled men.