The Employment Situation, August 2012

This AARP Public Policy Institute fact sheet highlights the employment situation for older persons as of August 2012. 

At 5.9 percent, the August unemployment rate for persons aged 55 and older was down from July’s 6.2 percent.  The rate declined for both men and women in this age group.  The labor force participation rate for older Americans rose from 40.2 percent in July to 40.4 percent in August, and the employment-to-population ratio also rose slightly.   Still, 1.9 million older people were out of work and looking for a job in August, and average duration of unemployment ticked upward.