En esta noticia
Among the proposals to shore up Social Security in the United States, one of the most frequently repeated is raising the retirement age. This week, one lawmaker went the other way.
On September 24, 2026, Michigan Democratic Rep. Haley Stevens introduced the Blue Collar Social Security Fairness Act, a bill that would allow workers in physically demanding jobs to collect full benefits at age 60.
What would change
Under current law, Americans born after 1960 reach full retirement age at 67. They can start collecting at 62, but with a 30% reduction that shrinks gradually between ages 63 and 66. Stevens’ proposal would cut that wait by seven years for those working in construction, roofing, nursing, manufacturing and similar trades, a list the bill itself describes as open-ended.
The lawmaker argues that many manual workers cannot keep working until 67 because of the toll on their bodies. In her view, people who work with their hands should not have to wait until their health gives out to retire.
How the points system would work
Eligibility would not require spending an entire career in physical work. According to her press release, the bill creates an age-weighted points system:
- 0.5 points for each year worked between ages 18 and 34.
- 1 point for each year between 35 and 44.
- 1.5 points for each year between 45 and 54.
- 2 points for each year from 55 onward.
Anyone who accumulates 15 points, or 20 years of physically demanding work over a career, could retire at 60.
In addition, the Social Security Administration (SSA) would have to compile and publish the list of covered occupations and update it every three years. Under the text, a job would qualify if it imposes substantial physical demands that could reduce a person’s ability to keep working at an advanced age.
The backdrop: a trust fund at risk
The initiative comes amid a broader debate over how to fund the program, whose outlays continue to outpace its revenue. The latest trustees report projects that the trust fund that pays benefits to retirees and survivors would be depleted by the end of 2032, earlier than previously forecast. That could trigger a cut of more than 20% in benefits. The average retired worker received $2,071 a month in January, according to the SSA.
Among the alternatives being discussed are eliminating the cap on income subject to the Social Security tax, currently $184,500, and raising the payroll tax. In July, Democratic Sen. Elizabeth Warren and Republican Sen. Bernie Moreno called for lifting that cap. A 2025 poll by the Bipartisan Policy Center found it was supported by 65% of Democrats and 62% of Republicans.
What criticism does the project receive
The bill has its skeptics. Labor economist Teresa Ghilarducci of The New School noted that the measure would leave out millions of people in jobs that are physically and emotionally demanding, such as care and service work.
She also warned that it could open the door to raising the retirement age and cutting benefits for those who don’t qualify. In her view, it would be a bad idea if it paves the way for that for everyone else, because it assumes older people can do and get those jobs.