Working more and less hours, profiling old European workers during first wave of COVID-19 pandemic, evidence from SHARE data

This study contributes to the discussion about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the working hours and on the workplace by older workers, aged between 55 and 64. Our aim is to find the factors associated with working more and less hours during the first wave of the pandemic among older workers in Europe. We use data collected by SHARE Corona Survey during the summer of 2020. We estimate two logistic regressions on working more and less hours using a set of individual controls, workplace and a country lockdown control. Our findings show that male workers are less likely to work more hours; older workers are more likely to work less hours; more educated workers work more hours and not less; people with difficulty to meet ends are more often working less hours; worsening of health during the pandemic is associated with working more hours; working home or both home and usual work place are correlated with working more and working less hours. The contribution of this work comes from additional knowledge about the profile of older workers and their changed hours of work during a first wave of COVID-19 in Europe.