The dark side of work life extension: health, welfare and equity concerns

European countries have experienced an outstanding increase in life expectancy during the last decades; however, this desirable and laudable societal achievement has challenged pension systems financial sustainability. National governments have almost unanimously responded to this demographic change by limiting access to retirement, mainly increasing statutory pension age. This article explores possible unintended effects of work life extension in the context of ageing population and provides some policy considerations. In particular, the authors focus on the following issues: work ability at older age, the potential negative health consequences of prolonging exposure to occupational hazards, welfare program substitution, shortage of informal caring, and, finally, the inequity innate in pension systems which disregard differences in life expectancy between socio economic groups.

Negli ultimi decenni l’Europa ha conosciuto uno straordinario aumento dell’aspettativa di vita. Questo importante risultato ha tuttavia posto i sistemi previdenziali in serie difficoltà mettendone a rischio la sostenibilità finanziaria. I governi quasi all’unisono hanno risposto a questa sfida demografica inasprendo i requisiti pensionistici e innalzando l’età di pensionamento. Questo articolo esplora alcuni possibili effetti indesiderati di questo inatteso allungamento dell’orizzonte lavorativo. In particolare, gli autori si concentrano sulle seguenti questioni: ridotta capacità lavorativa in età anziana; possibili effetti negativi sulla salute dovuti alla prolungata esposizione a rischi occupazionali; sostituzione fra diversi meccanismi di assistenza sociale; riduzione del lavoro di cura informale; iniquità intrinseca al sistema pensionistico che non considera delle differenze nell’aspettativa di vita fra diversi gruppi sociali.

Parole chiave:Invecchiamento, pensionamento, salute, lavoro

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Chiara Ardito, Angelo d’Errico, The dark side of work life extension: health, welfare and equity concerns in "SOCIOLOGIA DEL LAVORO " 150/2018, pp 101-119, DOI: 10.3280/SL2018-150006