Abstract
In the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, male employment rates were declining or flat at all ages, and female employment rates were rising or flat at all ages. But employment trends diverged more recently, with employment rising at older ages and falling at younger ages. We estimate labor supply models for men and women, allowing differences in behavior across age groups. The results indicate that changes in the educational composition of the population, the increase in age at first marriage, and Social Security reforms can account for a modest proportion of the divergence. However, much of the divergence remains unexplained.
- Received January 2014.
- Accepted September 2014.
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