Disability benefits are growing rapidly

The editorial article by Betsey Stevenson (Dec. 9) is largely correct. Manufacturing jobs are much fewer than several years ago, mostly because of technology. Think robots and computerization. Imports have had only a minor effect on manufacturing employment. The growth in employment is, as she states, in service jobs.

She omits discussing, however, the effect on the workforce participation rate of more workers receiving disability insurance. Women, for example, over age 45 are increasingly, as a percentage, going on disability more than men of the same age, but even the growth rates of men over 45 on disability are high.

From December 2001 through December 2014 the percentage of women ages 45-54, 55-59, and 60+ on disability rose by 4.5 percent, 6 percent and 8.1 percent respectively. For men, the annual disability increases are 3 percent, 4.8 percent and 6.5 percent. Is disability now an accepted way for some workers to receive early retirement benefits?

This story was originally published December 18, 2016 at 11:26 AM with the headline "Disability benefits are growing rapidly."