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State: Calif. Castillo: The Scary Truth: [2019-10-29] |
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The growth in the American workforce is being driven by older women, bringing to light new aspects of worker safety and care that must be addressed. The Bureau of Labor Statistics is projecting the number of workers 55 years and over will reach 40.6 million in 2024, meaning 1 in 4 workers will be 55 or older. By the time Gov. Gavin Newsom's first term ends, there will be 6.3 million working women between the ages of 65 and 84, with 800,000 of those in California. And 53% of those women are working just to survive. Whether or not our workers' compensation system is ready to meet the specific needs of this growing number of working women is the real question. According to the Commission on Health and Safety and Workers' Compensation, women's risk of suffering work injuries from repetitive motion — cumulative trauma — increases as they get older. Working women over the age of 55 have a 50% higher injury rate. Other startling facts about women and workplace injuries:
Michael Castillo is communications director for the California Applicants' Attorneys Association. This opinion is republished, with permission, from the CAAA website. |