Contextual Effects of Family and Work on Bridge Employment for Men and Women

Abstract

Drawing upon lifespan and social role theory, we tested the influences of sex, work, and family contexts on bridge employment decisions. A random sample of N = 12,108 Turkish retirees over 4 years, representing k = 32,640 distinct respondent-year observations, was utilized. The interactive effects of sex and work (job level) and family contexts (marital status, having dependents) were regressed on the probability of entering bridge employment, either full- or part-time, and in a job that is either similar or different to ones' career job. Respondents' years since retirement, age, household income, education, health status, and year/region fixed effects were controlled. Female retirees were overall less likely to enter bridge employment and less likely to enter bridge employment in a different occupation. Family context variables had larger effects than job level in bridge employment for women but not men. However, these contextual effects were overall more influential for male retirees. Married men were more likely to enter bridge employment (both full- and part-time) than unmarried men. Men holding higher-level jobs were more likely to enter bridge employment, and more likely to hold that employment in a job similar to their career job, than men in elementary jobs. Findings are discussed.