This paper examines the effects of trade liberalization and the risks associated with participation in the global trading system on women's integration into national labor markets. Using data from 1970 to 1995, I identify two global determinants of the female share of national labor markets: trade openness and transnational corporate penetration.…

This eight-page tabloid-style report presents an overview of past and present working conditions in the United States as a whole and in Hawaii in particular, with emphasis on women and on lower-level workers. The seven articles in the paper cover the following topics: "A Brief History of Labor in Hawaii" (William J. Puette); "The…

The earnings gap is the difference between the percentage ratio of women's earnings to those of men and 100 percent. In 1988, the earnings gap for hourly earnings was 26 percent; for weekly earnings, 30 percent; and for annual earnings, 34 percent. Although the direction over the past decade is toward greater equality, the pace is extremely slow.…

Efforts to shift women from welfare into the labor market will not necessarily move women out of poverty because the wages they are likely to earn are so low. According to research tracking Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) recipients over a 2-year period, 43% of AFDC recipients combine welfare with a substantial amount of paid…

Compares labor market samples from two dualist countries--the United States and Canada whose employment and family-related policies are decentralized--and two corporatist countries--Norway and Sweden whose policies are centralized. Hypothesizes that Scandinavian countries would show less effect from family responsibilities and fewer gender…

From its position in the Office of the Secretary of Labor, the Women's Bureau participates in departmental policy making and program planning and serves as a coordinating body in the Department of Labor for programs affecting women. Among its activities are the following: initiating and supporting research in economic, social, and legislative…

Over the past 15 years, the level of initial training among French youth has shown a rapid rise, with one of the highest rates of full-time school attendance in Europe. This sharp increase in school attendance clearly improves the training capital. In their hiring policies, employers have become more and more selective, with the result that…

Investigates postwar trends in occupational segregation. Finds segregation increased slightly between 1950-60 as predominantly female clerical/professional jobs increased. Occupation mix changes (1960-70) were neutral in impact, but male inflow into female professions and female inflow into male sales/clerical jobs produced modest segregation…

This book, through a review of the status of working women on bottom and on the top, refutes a set of myths about women, work, and poverty that have shaped welfare reform. Chapter 1 highlights the big changes affecting women in the U.S. economy. Chapter 2 describes who is poor in the United States and examines how poverty has come to be defined.…

This paper investigates the change in women workers' position in the labor market in China since economic reforms were started 10 years ago. The reforms which granted enterprises more decision-making power and caused the Chinese government to stop subsidizing maternity leave, time off for breast feeding, and nursery school, resulted in enterprises…

This fact sheet summarizes labor market statistics on nontraditional jobs for women and public policy, barriers, and strategies regarding such employment. Among the data presented are the following: nontraditional jobs for women are jobs in which 75 percent or more of those employed are men; 9 percent of all working women are employed in…

The equality of the opportunities available to males and females in Germany's labor market was examined. The study compared employment patterns among women and men and the extent to which selected discretionary benefits of Germany's Federal Employment Service benefit women and men. Selected results were as follows: (1) women are under-represented…

The literature on sex segregation in the workplace was reviewed to determine how it could be used in formulating policy in the area of sex fairness in the American labor market. The committee found that although women's occupational options have increased dramatically in the past decade, sex segregation is still widespread. Among those factors…

Attempts to explain sex-related wage differentials generally rely on the human capital and segmentation labor market theories. The human capital theory explains individuals' position in the labor market primarily in terms of factors determining their productivity, whereas segmentation theory focuses on differences among jobs as determinants of the…

This book contains five papers on the role of institutions in changing labor markets in Europe. "Introduction" (Peter Auer) explores the following topics: institutions and labor market forces; macroeconomic policy; redistribution of working times; equality of opportunity; and industrial relations and social dialogue. "Small-Economy…