Paid Sick Leave and the Employment and Employment Intensity of Older Workers

Background and Objectives: As life expectancy has increased, there has been political pressure to raise the age for retirement benefit claims. Paid sick leave (PSL) may support older workers in maintaining employment intensity by offering workers the flexibility to address health and caregiving needs. However, little is known about the role of PSL access on older workers' employment and income. Research Design and Methods: The study uses data from the 2010-2018 National Health Interview Survey (NHIS), accessed via IPUMS. Stratified multivariate regression models controlling for demographic and employment characteristics are used to explore the association between access to PSL and employment intensity among older workers. Results: Among workers older than age 62, access to PSL is associated with a 28% higher likelihood of working full-time (p<0.001) and an average of 7.3 (18.8%) more hours per week (p<0.001). The strongest associations between access to paid sick leave and employment intensity are observed among female workers and those with educational attainment beyond a high school degree, and weakest among Latinx workers. Discussion and Implications: PSL access is associated with greater employment intensity as workers age, with implications for economic security given the significant increase in hours worked per week. Public policy requiring employers to provide PSL may reduce disparities in access and support the employment of older workers. (Stone Center on Socio-Economic Inequality Working Paper)