Pandemic job losses among workers 65 and older were steep and persistent: Percentage changes in employment rates from pre-pandemic peaks, by age group, February 2020–August 2022

Year Ages 35–54 Ages 55–64 Age 65+
Feb-2020 0.0% 0.0% 0.0%
Mar-2020 -0.7% -0.7% -4.5%
Apr-2020 -11.8% -11.8% -18.6%
May-2020 -9.6% -9.6% -18.1%
Jun-2020 -6.9% -7.7% -14.9%
Jul-2020 -6.6% -7.2% -12.0%
Aug-2020 -4.9% -5.7% -10.6%
Sep-2020 -5.1% -5.1% -7.6%
Oct-2020 -4.2% -4.0% -6.6%
Nov-2020 -4.0% -4.9% -6.3%
Dec-2020 -4.3% -5.2% -8.8%
Jan-2021 -4.6% -5.9% -11.1%
Feb-2021 -4.6% -4.2% -12.8%
Mar-2021 -4.1% -3.3% -11.4%
Apr-2021 -4.2% -3.3% -9.9%
May-2021 -4.0% -2.2% -10.3%
Jun-2021 -4.1% -3.5% -11.8%
Jul-2021 -3.3% -3.6% -12.1%
Aug-2021 -2.8% -3.1% -8.9%
Sep-2021 -2.0% -1.9% -6.3%
Oct-2021 -1.8% -2.1% -7.0%
Nov-2021 -1.2% -2.2% -6.0%
Dec-2021 -1.1% -1.9% -5.3%
Jan-2022 -1.5% -1.8% -7.7%
Feb-2022 -0.9% -1.1% -5.9%
Mar-2022 -0.1% -0.1% -7.0%
Apr-2022 -0.4% -0.4% -7.4%
May-2022 -0.3% -0.2% -6.1%
Jun-2022 -1.0% -1.5% -7.8%
Jul-2022 -1.0% -1.0% -7.4%
Aug-2022 -0.3% -1.7% -5.8%

Note: Chart shows percentage changes in employment-to-population ratios relative to February 2020, the peak month of economic activity before the pandemic recession.

Source: Economic Policy Institute (EPI) and Schwartz Center for Economic Policy Analysis (SCEPA) analysis of Current Population Survey microdata (Flood et al. 2021).

View the underlying data on epi.org.