In many countries around the world there is growing recognition of changes in the structure of populations. While primarily affecting industrialized countries, trends in many societies clearly indicate that, as life expectancy grows and fertility rates continue to decline, there will continue to be a growth in the elderly segment of the population. The primary focus of policy-makers has been on the economic impacts of this growth, namely in the costs of pensions and policies associated with the medical and social needs of this age group. Equitable concerns about who should pay the costs of such provisions have led to reconsideration among policy-makers of how long people should work before being able to claim the benefits of retirement. However, though the concept of raising the retirement age has received much attention in research and the popular press, the conditions of work and employment faced by older workers if they are expected or choose to continue working have received limited scrutiny to date.