Early evidence of the impact of Covid-19 and the recession on older workers in the United States

We summarize the early effects, and anticipated future effects, of the Covid-19 pandemic and resulting recession on older workers in the United States. We start by discussing what we know about how older workers faired in prior recessions in the United States, how Covid-19 and this recession may be different, and what this likely means for older workers. We then estimate some early effects on employment and unemployment rates of Covid-19 and the resulting recession by age group and sex up. We conclude with a brief discussion of important topics for future research as the pandemic develops and hopefully resolves, and as new data sources become available.