Flexible retirement features abroad.

UNTIL RECENTLY, retirement from the workforce R&S regarded as a change that took place at a pred&ermmed age, fixed by law or regululatlon There usually nas no choxe ns to the age of retxement, and early nlthdrawal from the markforce usually meant n sharp redo&on m Income or even, m extreme cases, a total loss of penslo* benefits In recent years, however, many mdustrud countrms hnve mcorporated In them soaal security systems optlons of flexlblhty that gwc older workers some choice m determmmg the age and arcumstances under which they mny retire These features of flexible retwement have become a partxulnrly nnportant conslderatlon for certam older uorkers who by reason of health or pnrtxl dlsablhty, norkmg condltlons, unemployment, or long yews of service find that t,hey wish t,o Blthdraw partmlly or totally from full-tune employment The survey of seven countrles m this report shows that the first steps toward lowermg the retwement age were usul~lly taken m response to pohtlcrtl and social pressures auned at brmgmg some rehef to workers III speclnl occupnt’ons