Abstract

The combination of demographic factors, the barriers to entry for the younger generation, and the actions to re-establish the financial balance of the public pension system, have deeply redesigned the age structure of the Italian labour market, contributing to the growth of labour supply of people who are in the second part of their working career. The differences in participation and retirement rates among the European countries suggest the need for careful consideration of the prevalence of factors that, at individual level, can contribute to pushing older workers out of the market, in addition to factors operating at macro level (labour market rigidities, wages structure, etc.). On this basis, the article intends to explore the key factors that favour the risk of exclusion of older workers, with particular reference to the attitudes of employers, working conditions, health and safety, as well as available resources in terms of skills, social capital, and continuity of professional careers.