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Bosses Are Firing People in Their 70s Left and Right (And Honestly, We See Why)

The reasons are financial, operational, and increasingly common.

By Cassandra Yorgey

Edited by Esther Carlstone

Updated Jan. 27, 2026

Eighty percent of older adult households do not have the financial resources to survive a major change such as widowhood, serious illness, or a need for long-term care, according to a study by the National Council on Aging (NCOA).

Financial conditions are keeping senior citizens in the workforce longer, or forcing them back when their retirement plan didn't work out financially. Meanwhile, employers are pushing people in their 70s out of the workplace, sometimes illegally.

Learn why employers don't want senior citizens working, and find out the impact it's having on society.

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The rise of AI and tech advances

A 2025 study by Nature has uncovered a serious problem with AI bias against older adults, specifically women. This creates a serious problem when AI tools are integrated into Human Resource processes such as hiring or employment reviews.

Older adults are also less likely to have familiarity with using these tools that employers want, which leaves working seniors stuck between a rock and hard place.

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Budget cuts

Older adults tend to be more advanced in their careers, which means higher salaries — just the sort of thing companies want to axe when looking at reducing their operating budgets.

Wanting to hire someone younger and cheaper might be understandable, but it's also illegal — and has led to an increase in age discrimination cases for the past three years.

They haven't kept up with tech

It's a common workplace myth that older adults haven't kept up with technology, and a 2024 survey by Age Without Limits found that one in four people believe it — although it isn't necessarily true.

It can also be a self-fulfilling prophecy since employers are less willing to offer in-job training as people age, putting them behind younger employees who receive training on new tech in the workplace.

Physical demands are too great

Physically demanding jobs do, in fact, get harder with age. This can lead to more injuries for older adults, and can create hazards for other employees. If a person has become a risk because of physical demands, then it can be necessary to remove them from the job.

In previous eras, this expertise was transitioned into training or management positions, but many employers are now choosing to let them go to keep salary budgets lower.

Company "culture" clashes

Many employers have put a focus on "company culture" as a selling point to work there, and they want to project a "cool" and modern vibe. Older adults can be viewed as out of touch, but taking younger employees under your wing to mentor them can help foster a better impression.

The "retirement track"

Employers often view older adults as just putting in their time until retirement, so it's easier for them to think of letting senior citizens go as "helping" them retire early. This can often be detrimental since workers aren't necessarily ready to retire yet, and may still require income.

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Higher health costs

Healthcare costs rise with age — for both employees and employers — driven by higher insurance costs and increased time off for health needs. U.S. employers already offer some of the lowest vacation and sick day benefits compared to international standards, and that contributes to less health maintenance in younger workers, which leads to increased problems in older age, continuing the cycle.

Fear of lawsuits

Mature employees are often more familiar with norms that favor workers' rights, and are perceived as more likely to cause legal problems if their employer is out of compliance with legal standards. In reality, that just adds age discrimination to the list of potential lawsuits — and those are on the rise.

Pensions

Employers will often claim they don't have to pay out pensions if a worker is fired for cause. Pension denials can be appealed, of course, but older adults who have a pension plan as part of their benefit package might be up first on the chopping block if a company is looking to reduce operating costs.

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Mandatory retirement age

Some companies have a "mandatory" retirement age policy, but it's only legal in a handful of instances (like firefighters and law enforcement).

Employers sometimes use this as an excuse to push out workers of retirement age, blaming it on company policy even though it is still age discrimination.

Obsolete skills

Older adult workers can find themselves in the position of being the only one who can wrangle outdated tech that employers have avoided upgrading to avoid a large one-time expense. This can give an impression of job security, but everything gets updated eventually, which can result in job loss due to now obsolete skills that are no longer relevant.

Slower work pace

A lifetime of experience helps older adults set a manageable work pace for themselves, which can make them appear slower than younger workers who set a pace destined for burnout. Employees in their 70s who are given an unrealistic workload might be next on the list for layoffs.

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Bottom line

Ultimately, there is a retirement crisis in the U.S. that's leading to more 70-year-olds still being in the workforce. This is often because they haven't been able to get ahead financially enough to retire. It's understandable that workplaces may not want to accommodate older workers who are of retirement age, but without societal safety nets that allow for retirement, there isn't much else older adults can do other than keep working.

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