America is graying. We review Aetna's 2013 book of short-term disability claims as a function of age and diagnostic categories. While overall statistics show a predictable impact of age, not all diagnoses follow that pattern, with clear implications for employers.Older workers are frequently an employer’s most valuable workers, given their experience and commitment. Many of them want to continue to live meaningful, productive lives through continued employment. The impact of age on a person’s ability to work will vary, not only between individuals, but also between industries. There is no one-size-fits-all. The key takeaway for employers who are concerned about the impact of age on their workforce is that they need to take a long look at the demographics of their workforce, in terms of the interactions between and among age, gender, and their disability and workers’ compensation claims. On the basis of these analyses, they should be willing / to explore creative, proactive approaches for dealing with disability claims, and for keeping their employees productive and motivated. As we have tried to show in this paper, this is not an overly complicated task. Investing in this effort will likely yield shorter disability periods and happier, more productive and committed employees.
