Exclusion and Inequality in Late Working Life : National Country Context: Sweden

Introduction This text is a first full draft that includes all the planned sections and covers key aspects of late working life issues in Sweden. Chapter 1 presents key statistical data for population structure and demographic processes in Sweden as well as labour market participation among the older groups of the population. It is mapping the main political economic discourses that frame late working life and brings in some historically important points for understanding the developments in the Swedish discourse. The aspects of the welfare regime and its transformations after the 1990s are included. Chapter 2 briefly introduces the Swedish social model and discusses the roles of social partners and institutional context. It also informs about particularities regarding authorities and unique aspects of the Swedish social model. The most information-rich part is the presentation of the discourses and the positions of the main actors in the Swedish labour market. They actively contribute to shaping the political agenda and policy outcomes that translate into specific legislation. Chapter 3 presents patterns and characteristics of current late working life in Sweden, and focusses on late labour market participation and exit, working conditions, sectoral distributions, and lifelong learning aspects. The main inequalities are discussed under these headings. Chapter 4 is an account of the most influential policies for late working life in Sweden. It covers three main sections. Namely, retirement and pensions, disability insurance and policies related to the labour market inclusion. These policies are analysed regarding their impact on extending working lives as well as their potential to decrease inequalities in the labour market, in particular amongst older workers. The text provides, finally, a brief overview of developments and policies regarding late working life in Sweden. Moreover, it sketches how these developments and policies affect inequalities in late working life. This is followed by an appendix containing additional data