December 2001
The growth in temporary help supply (THS) employees is one aspect of the recent general trend toward flexible, market-based work arrangements. Such employees are on the payroll of temporary help agencies but they actually work in other sectors of the economy, e.g., manufacturing.
There are several reasons for the growth in such flexible work arrangements. First, by reducing the cost and risk of hiring,…
October 2001
The era of high employment has taken a sharp downward turn. The U.S. economy was cooling rapidly even before terrorism entered the picture. Employee layoffs are now measured in the hundreds of thousands. Many of these employees were entry-level workers just starting their careers. The Labor Department’s statistics on teenage and young adult employment reflect a substantial rise in unemployment rates.
With unemployment rising…
August 2001
During 2000, there was a distinct downturn in the economy nationwide, and some communities that were previously lagging fell even further behind. Residents in scores of counties and cities struggled through the year with unemployment rates from 9% to more than 20%. As the nation seems to be headed into recession, and jobs continue to dry up, the areas that are already the worst off…
July 2001
The living wage movement has been successful in promoting ordinances at the city or county level that would mandate covered businesses to pay wages much higher than the effective state or local minimum wage. At least 60 local governments have adopted some type of living wage mandate legislation. A typical ordinance requires contractors and businesses receiving governmental financial assistance to pay a minimum wage…
June 2001
Congress has been considering a hike in the federal minimum wage from $5.15 to $6.15 an hour or higher. It has been estimated that such a raise would affect over 10 million workers, many of whom are teenagers. A considerable body of research shows that while such increases might raise the wages of some workers, it would also eliminate jobs and work opportunities for others.…
