Involuntary retirement and disability among Canadians

Canada’s population is aging and with aging comes greater numbers leaving the labour force because of their health and other reasons. Almost one in three Canadians are forced from working life before they are ready, with disability being is a common reason for retiring. This can result in poor outcomes and has consequences for society more broadly including labour shortages in some occupations and the sustainability of pension plans and government finances. However, involuntary retirement can be prevented. This study first develops a more complete framework of predictors of involuntary retirement than currently exists. Then uses data from the Canadian Longitudinal Study on Aging (CLSA) to determine the factors contributing to involuntary retirement among Canadians. Ultimately, this knowledge will inform practices and policies in the workplace, the compensation/insurance, and health care systems to allow workers to have greater control over the timing of their retirement.