Germany: Government Targeting Older Workers, Others, To Fill Jobs Gap

According to press reports, the German government (eight ministries and the Chancellery) has drawn up a 27-page paper that (a) acknowledged that around 6.5 million fewer people will be available to work by 2025 due to an ageing population and low birth rates, and (b) rather than looking across the German borders for fresh blood, focuses the government's attention on women who gave up paid work to bring up their children, and older people.

With respect to older workers, The Local reports that the following from the government paper:

Older people and those without work are also being considered. The raising of statutory retirement age from 65 to 67 will increase the numbers of workers by a million by 2025, while the intention is also to encourage more people older than 55 to work. Currently only 56 percent of people over 55 work – should that increase to 70 percent as is the case in Sweden, it would add a further million people to the workforce.

Sources: TheLocal "Mothers and over-55s called back to work" (May 11, 2011); Süddeutsche Zeitung "Mütter, Alte und Arbeitslose: Ran an die Arbeit!" (May 11, 2011)