This report provides demographic and economic information on older workers as well as a targeted review of the literature covering the workforce challenges facing older workers, the effect of the COVID-19 pandemic on them, the employment and training programs serving them, and knowledge gaps regarding various programs. The report was developed as part of a larger research initiative, the Older Workers Implementation and Descriptive Study, which entails an implementation study of the Senior Community Service Employment Program (SCSEP) and preparation of a report identifying options for future research on SCSEP or other DOL workforce programs serving older workers.

The report notes that many federal government employment and training programs serve older adults, but only two, SCSEP and the Alternative Trade Adjustment Assistance for Workers specifically target older workers and provide crucial work opportunities and services to them. The report provides an overview of those two programs, and of other programs serving this population, such as Unemployment Insurance, career services delivered through American Job Centers, and occupational training provided through community colleges. Another topic is the effectiveness of different strategies, such as job search assistance, sector-focused training, subsidized employment, and wraparound services, in serving older workers.

Additionally, the report indicates that there is relatively limited knowledge regarding the effects of changing labor markets and of services for older workers. Some of the knowledge gaps identified in the report concern: whether SCSEP and other workforce programs can help low-wage older workers to achieve economic self-sufficiency; what promising practices, strategies, or changes in service delivery work best for older workers, especially given innovations in virtual service delivery; what strategies might be best for different subgroups; and how to address employers’ mis-perceptions or biases about hiring older workers.