Older workers aren’t retiring. Should they be forced to?
Summary
This episode explores the tension between older workers delaying retirement and younger employees struggling to advance. Host Sarah Gonzalez interviews Yale professor Samuel Moyne, who argues that mandatory retirement could free up high-level positions for younger talent, and economist Olivia Mitchell, who counters that older workers boost the economy and that job scarcity is a fallacy. The discussion covers historical shifts in retirement norms, the "lump of labor" fallacy, and potential compromises like phased retirement.
Topics discussed
Intro: Millennials frustrated by older workers not retiring
The trend of delayed retirement in the US workforce
Samuel Moyne argues older workers hoard jobs and power
Mandatory retirement: History, legality, and Sam's proposal
Olivia Mitchell debunks the 'lump of labor' fallacy
Economic arguments: Innovation vs. productivity and pay
Why delaying retirement helps the economy and pensions
Finding common ground: Phased retirement and succession
Conclusion: What happened to Ryan and Vijay
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