Chapter 6: Bridge Employment and Retirement: Issues and Opportunities During the Latter Part of One’s Career

The major focus of this chapter is the transitions that older workers in their late career make from work to retirement. In particular, we discuss the unique role that bridge employment can play as a strategy for older workers to implement career growth and/or change toward the end of their career. Bridge employment is typically defined as the pattern of labor force participation exhibited by older workers as they transition from late career jobs toward complete labor force withdrawal (Shultz, 2003). As such, bridge employment can take many forms, including part-time, full-time, seasonal, temporary work, and even self-employment, depending on the needs and desires of the older worker/retiree. However, we extend the existing literature by examining bridge employment from a dynamic perspective, in order to better understand its antecedents, outcomes, and general utility for older workers as a strategy for making the transition from career employment to full time retirement.