Proposed Bill Would Lower Social Security Retirement Age for Blue-Collar Workers

A new legislative proposal seeks to lower the full Social Security retirement age to 60 for employees in physically demanding professions, including construction, nursing, and manufacturing. Rep. Haley Stevens, a Michigan Democrat, unveiled the Blue Collar Social Security Fairness Act on Thursday, arguing that individuals who perform manual labor should not be required to work until their bodies fail.

Under current regulations, Americans born after 1960 must reach age 67 to receive full benefits. While workers can begin collecting as early as 62, doing so results in a 30% permanent reduction in monthly payments. The benefit reduction gradually phases out between ages 63 and 66. Stevens’ bill would allow eligible blue-collar workers to bypass these penalties and claim full benefits seven years earlier than the standard age.

“Michiganders who work with their hands shouldn’t be forced to wait until their bodies give out to retire,” Stevens said during a press conference in Washington, D.C. The announcement comes shortly after Stevens lost the Democratic Senate primary to Abdul El-Sayed in August.

The proposed legislation establishes a point system to determine eligibility. Workers would earn one point for each year spent in qualifying physically demanding jobs between the ages of 35 and 44. To retire at 60, an individual would need to accumulate at least 15 points or demonstrate at least 20 years of experience in specific trades such as roofing or manufacturing. The Social Security Administration would be responsible for maintaining and updating the list of qualifying professions every three years.

According to the bill, a job must impose “substantial physical demands that may be reasonably expected to diminish the ability of the individual” to continue working at an advanced age to qualify. The Commissioner of the Social Security Administration would compile this list based on these criteria.

This introduction follows growing national debate regarding the financial solvency of Social Security. The most recent trustees report projects that the trust fund paying benefits to retirees and survivors will become insolvent by the end of 2032. If that occurs, beneficiaries could face benefit cuts exceeding 20%. As of January, the average retired worker received $2,071 monthly in benefits.

Experts have suggested alternative methods to strengthen the program, such as raising or eliminating the payroll tax cap, which currently applies to income up to $184,500. In July, Sens. Elizabeth Warren and Bernie Moreno called for lifting this cap, arguing it would create a more equitable system where high-income earners contribute proportionally like lower- and middle-class workers. A 2025 Bipartisan Policy Center poll indicated that 65% of Democrats and 62% of Republicans support removing the cap, including majorities of households earning over $200,000 annually.