Successful yet insufficient: German policies for higher employment rates among older age groups

Abstract

In recent years among the OECD countries, Germany has witnessed the largest increase in the employment rates of older people. This increase, and general German employment rates, are associated with both supply side measures in the fields of pensions and unemployment policies and employment promotion policies. Yet, supply side measures and Germany's shift from conservative towards liberal policy goals and policies in the case of older workers have resulted in economic inequality. These policies could be complemented by pro-employability measures in order to become fully effective. This article describes recent policy reforms in the main policy fields of retirement, unemployment, and employment promotion, considers their effects on employment and inequality, and offers reform suggestions to raise further older worker employment rates without increasing inequality.

Productivity-Based Wages and Employment of People With Disabilities: International Usage and Policy Considerations

“…In addition, subsidies appear to reduce incentive for workers to improve capacity (hence remaining in the subsidized jobs) and create stigmatized assumptions relative to worker capacity (Angelov & Eliason, 2018; Boockmann, 2015). There is some evidence that education and work transition programs may help older workers to retain jobs without necessitating entry into subsidized jobs (Bauknecht & Naegele, 2016), and this argument may have merit as well in reference to workers with disabilities.…”