Will imports and robots push older workers into nontraditional jobs?

Abstract

The brief's key findings are: U.S. workers have been facing growing competition from trade and automation. Do these factors push more workers into ""nontraditional"" jobs, defined as those without health and retirement benefits? This issue may be a particular concern for older workers, who increasingly need longer careers with continued access to benefits. The results show that imports are not associated with a greater share of such jobs but automation is, particularly for older workers. The key takeaway is that continuing growth in automation underscores the need for alternative sources of health and retirement coverage for older workers.