Abstract
Despite persistently low unemployment rates, older workers continue to face widespread age discrimination in hiring, promotion, and workplace culture. This article examines the paradox of sustained employment alongside entrenched bias, drawing on recent research to explore how labor participation, remote work, and generative AI are reshaping opportunities for workers age 50 and older. While some trends such as job stability and telework offer protection for those already employed, age discrimination remains a significant barrier for displaced workers. The article concludes by highlighting policy and employer-focused strategies to promote fair, age-inclusive workplaces.
Key Words
Age discrimination, older workforce, job stability
When we look at the employment landscape for older workers, two distinct pictures emerge that appear to contradict each other. On the one hand, unemployment rates for workers 55 and older are lower than for workers ages 18–54. At the time of writing, the unemployment rate for workers 55 and older was 3.3% while the unemployment rate for workers under 55 was 4.3%. On the other, AARP research repeatedly reveals that age discrimination at work—including related to decisions around hiring and firing—remains disturbingly high (see, e.g., Choi-Allum, 2022, Perron, 2026). According to the latest data, 64% of workers age 50-plus reported having seen or experienced age discrimination in the workplace (Perron, 2026)
When discussing the topic of age discrimination in employment, the most common assumption is that the discrimination occurs at the point of hiring. And unfortunately, there is strong evidence of this both anecdotally and in designed experiments. Work by Neumark et al. (2019) found that, despite using identical resumes to apply for administrative jobs, applicants aged 49–51 received 29% fewer callbacks than those aged 29–31. For applicants aged 64–66 the disparity was even greater: Those resumes received 47% fewer callbacks. The authors also found this effect magnified if the applicants were older women. More recent AARP research found that 14% of workers 50+ said they had not been hired for a job they applied for due to their age (AARP, 2022).
Given these sobering statistics, we might expect the unemployment rate for older workers to be much higher than for their younger counterparts, yet this is not the case. Why do older workers experience such high levels of age discrimination but enjoy some of the lowest rates of unemployment?
Reasons Behind Trends
Here are some reasons why that could be the case, as well as other observations on the employment landscape for workers 50 and older.
Those aged 55+ are a smaller group. The labor force participation rate, or the share of the working-age population that is either working or looking for work, is lower for older workers; 37.2% of those aged 55+ are working or looking for work compared with 83.8% of workers 25–54 (often categorized as “prime age” workers) (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2026). Those who have—voluntarily or otherwise—left the labor market are not counted among the unemployed. So a low unemployment rate reflects a smaller pool of workers to begin with.
Workers 55+ may have high levels of employment and still experience age discrimination while working, in addition to encountering it when searching and applying for jobs.
However, it is important here to note that the category of workers aged 55+ includes all workers over the age of 55, a group that grows increasingly smaller as workers age above 65 and begin to retire. If we isolate the 55–64 age group, their LFPR is 66.3%, still a lower rate than the prime-age group but nevertheless one that reflects a substantial degree of participation.
Age discrimination is not limited to hiring decisions. Workers aged 55+ may have high levels of employment and still experience age discrimination while working, in addition to encountering it when searching and applying for jobs. (Perron, 2026) found that 25% of workers surveyed heard negative comments about an older co-worker’s age (including 14% who were on the receiving end of those comments), 12% were passed over for promotion due to their age, and 8% were denied access to training or professional development due to their age.
And the relatively low cost to companies for allowing ageist workplace cultures to flourish only exacerbates the problem. Only 4% of workers 50+ said they lodged a formal complaint with HR after being passed over for a promotion and only 6% did the same when hearing negative comments about their age at work (Perron, 2026).
The unexpected effect of generative AI. Contrary to what we might have initially assumed, the advent of generative AI has to some extent made the picture rosier for older workers than for younger ones. While there is no comprehensive evidence yet that higher unemployment rates for workers aged 22–25 are due to AI taking over entry-level roles (Ozimek & Goldschlag, 2026), the job tasks most at risk for outsourcing to AI tend to cluster in entry-level and lower-level jobs. According to research published by AARP and LinkedIn, nearly half (49.4%) of older workers hold positions insulated from AI disruption, compared to 42.2% of younger workers (Perron et al., 2025).
This is likely to due to the prevalence of older workers in complex, decision-making, or management roles. Based on analysis of LinkedIn platform data, workers 50+ on average have 10 years more experience in leadership roles than their younger peers (Perron et al., 2025). The relative insulation of older workers to AI job disruption is good news—at least for now. Employers should still make every effort to offer training in generative AI and other disruptive tech skills to all employees regardless of age.
The impact of remote work. Remote and hybrid work schedules continue to be popular with most workers, including workers aged 50+, even as many employers require a return to the office. While headlines frequently decry the decline of remote work, the ability to work from home at least some days in the week isn’t going anywhere, according to research conducted by Nick Bloom and the Work From Home Research group. The data show that remote work has stabilized at about 25% of days, a five-fold increase since 2019 (Lamadrid, 2025).
This increase in remote work has had a significant impact on employment opportunities for older workers with disabilities. The Boston College Center for Retirement Research found that post-pandemic, employment rates for disabled workers aged 51–64 increased by 11.6% in occupations that allow telework (Liu & Quinby, 2024). And the desire for remote and flexible work among older workers as a whole shows up repeatedly in AARP surveys, with 79% of respondents citing “flexibility when I work” and 64% citing “the ability to work from home sometimes” as must-have job characteristics (AARP, 2023).
‘Job hugging’ for now. While the labor market has not experienced the sharp rise in unemployment some economists worried about in late 2025 and early 2026, hiring has slowed considerably, and the current low-hire/low-fire environment is being felt by workers across the age spectrum. Younger workers in particular are finding it challenging to break into the job market if they do not already have a job, or if they quit one job without a new one lined up. This may explain why the gap in the number of older versus younger workers who make up the long-term unemployed has narrowed in recent years. Traditionally this gap has been as large as 10 percentage points but currently it has shrunk to 1.6% (25.9% of jobseekers ages 16 to 54 were long-term unemployed, versus 27.5% of jobseekers 55+; Schramm, 2026).
Conversely, older workers are less concerned about losing their current job than they are about looking for a new one. When asked how they thought it would be to find a job in today’s job market, two thirds (67%) believed it would be difficult, including 32% who said it would be very difficult (Perron, 2026). Among the reasons they gave for this difficulty, the most common reason by far was age discrimination, with 35% citing it as the top barrier (Perron, 2026). This suggests that older workers are staying put and not looking for new opportunities, which could explain their higher levels of employment relative to younger workers.
Helping With the Issues
In surveying the employment landscape for workers 50+, there are some bright spots that have recently emerged, likely due to a combination of tight labor markets, the rise in remote work, and the relative insulation of jobs held by older workers from AI disruption (for now). However, these benefits for the most part accrue to those who already have jobs. If older workers are forced to leave suddenly—due to caregiving responsibilities, structural reorganization, or their own health issues—finding a new job or returning to work is challenging, largely due to age discrimination.
To solidify these gains and increase employment opportunities for all older workers—employed or unemployed—we need to address the problems on multiple fronts. Through advocacy, employer outreach, education and direct support, AARP is taking on unfair workplaces and helping ensure that experience is valued rather than dismissed.
Contrary to what we might have initially assumed, the advent of generative AI has to some extent made the picture rosier for older workers than for younger ones.
Here are the key takeaways AARP is making a meaningful difference for older workers across the country.
Championing a Multigenerational Workforce. AARP actively collaborates with employers nationwide to promote environments where every generation is valued and supported. Through education, workshops, and easy-to-use tools, AARP helps employers tap into the full potential of an aging and multigenerational workforce. Businesses interested in creating and fostering multigenerational workplaces can learn more at aarp.org/employers and join the newly launched AARP Employer Alliance.
Empowering Older Workers Through Job Search Support. We’ve already seen that older workers are concerned about finding and applying for jobs. To help address these challenges, AARP has collaborated with Indeed, the world’s largest job search platform, to launch a job search experience designed specifically for experienced workers. By tailoring the job search experience to the needs of older workers, AARP and Indeed are helping level the playing field and reduce the frustration many job seekers face.
In addition, AARP Foundation offers Back to Work 50+, a program that connects older jobseekers with the information, training, support and employer access they need to get back into the workforce. The program provides in-person and online sessions led by trained career coaches who understand the unique challenges facing jobseekers over 50 at no cost to them.
Fighting Age Discrimination. AARP actively advocates for fair hiring and workplace practices at both the state and federal levels. The organization supports bipartisan legislation such as the Protect Older Workers Against Discrimination Act and the Protect Older Job Applicants Act, which aim to strengthen legal protections and close loopholes that make it difficult for older workers and job applicants to prove discrimination. These efforts are designed to restore fairness and accountability at work and in the hiring process. In addition, AARP supports the Protecting Older Americans Act, which prohibits forced arbitration for age discrimination claims in the workplace. This provides older workers the choice to have their cases heard in court with legal protections or arbitrated.
AARP also advocates for the bipartisan EITC for Older Workers Act. It would eliminate the upper age cap for workers to qualify for the earned-income tax credit (EITC), which helps low- to moderate-income workers reduce their taxes. Currently, the tax credit is not available to most workers 65 and older.
While the labor market has not experienced the sharp rise in unemployment some economists worried about in late 2025/early 2026, hiring has slowed considerably, and the current low hire/low fire environment is being felt by workers across the age spectrum.
AARP has also been taking action on the state level. For example, the organization helped pass laws in Connecticut, Colorado, Delaware, and Oregon that prohibit employers from asking for age-related information on initial job applications unless it is a bona fide condition of employment (Terrell, 2026). AARP Oregon also helped defeat legislation that would have created a tax credit for employers who took on an apprentice between the ages of 16 and 30, discriminating against older workers.
A Commitment to Fairness and Opportunity. Through advocacy, education, employer outreach, and direct support, AARP is taking a comprehensive approach to combating unfair workplaces and employment practices. By addressing age discrimination, promoting skill development, supporting vulnerable populations, and encouraging age-friendly work cultures, AARP is helping ensure that all workers are treated fairly based on their qualifications, not their age.
Heather Tinsley-Fix is a thought leader and influencer in age diversity working to advance the value of older workers and the business case for building age-friendly organizations. As a Senior Advisor of Employer Engagement at AARP, she leads the AARP Employer Alliance, a nationwide group of employers that stand with AARP in affirming the value of experienced workers. She has a B.A. in English Literature and an M.A. in Literary Theory, both from the University of Exeter, United Kingdom.
Photo credit: Shutterstock/Media Photos
References
AARP. (2023, January). Understanding a changing older workforce: An examination of workers ages 40-plus. AARP.
https://www.aarp.org/content/dam/aarp/research/surveys_statistics/econ/2023/multicultural-work-jobs-study-2023-report.doi.10.26419-2Fres.00554.001.pdf
Choi-Allum, L. (2022, July 26). Age discrimination among workers age 50-plus. AARP.
https://www.aarp.org/pri/topics/work-finances-retirement/employers-workforce/workforce-trends-older-adults-age-discrimination/
Lamidrid, D. (2025, June 17). Remote work will rise again: What Nick Bloom’s data tells us about the future of work. Allwork. https://allwork.space/2025/06/remote-work-will-rise-again-what-nick-blooms-data-tells-us-about-the-future-of-work/
Liu, S., & Quinby, L. D. (2024, September 10). Does remote work help older people with disabilities? Center for Retirement Research at Boston College. https://crr.bc.edu/does-remote-work-help-older-people-with-disabilities/
Neumark, D., Burn, I., & Button, P. (2019, April). Is it harder for older workers to find jobs? New and improved evidence from a field experiment. Journal of Political Economy, 127(2). https://doi.org/10.1086/701029
Ozimek, A., & Goldschlag, N. (2026, March 5). AI and young-adult jobs: The real mystery. Agglomerations. https://agglomerations.eig.org/p/ai-and-young-adult-jobs-the-real
Perron, R. (2026, January 27). Age discrimination in the workplace. AARP.
https://www.aarp.org/pri/topics/work-finances-retirement/employers-workforce/workforce-trends-older-adults-age-discrimination/
Perron, R. (2026, February 5). Updated data shows mixed feelings about how older Americans perceive the labor market. AARP Research. https://www.aarp.org/pri/topics/work-finances-retirement/employers-workforce/retirement-decisions-working-job-hunting/
Perron, R., Baird, M., & Hood, R. (2025, December 9). AARP-LinkedIn report shows the value older workers bring to multigenerational workplaces. AARP. https://www.aarp.org/pri/topics/work-finances-retirement/employers-workforce/multigenerational-workforce-linkedin/
Schramm, J. (2026, June 5). May 2026 employment data digest. AARP. https://www.aarp.org/pri/topics/work-finances-retirement/employers-workforce/employment-data-digest/
Terrell, K. (2026, May 14). Can employers ask your age on job applications? AARP. https://www.aarp.org/work/job-search/employers-age-job-applications/
U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. (2026, June 5). A-8b. Persons in the labor force and labor force participation rates by age and sex, seasonally adjusted. U.S. Department of Labor. https://www.bls.gov/web/empsit/cpseea08b.htm
