Contingent workers are those employed in jobs that do not fit the traditional description of a full-time, permanent job with benefits. Contingent work takes the form of part-time, temporary, and contract employment. The number of contingent workers in 1988 has been estimated at between 29.9 and 36.6 million, representing 25-30 percent of the…

Structural changes in international economy may give rise to a reemergence of full employment programs. Such initiatives must address the special problem of minority unemployment and must develop new approaches to avoid the difficulties experienced by such programs in the 1970s. Quality work for decent, secure wages must be assured. (VM)

Of the currently unemployed workforce, a portion (100,000 to 2.1 million) can be termed dislocated workers. Even as the economy recovers from the current recession, these involuntarily unemployed workers will face serious problems finding new jobs because of structural changes in the economy. Current unemployment and training programs often do not…

The relationship between the concepts "full employment" and "sustainable livelihoods" was examined in the context of international efforts to promote economic development and eradicate poverty worldwide. After a comparison of the very different economic problems facing developing nations and the nations of Eastern Europe and…

Not only is the official black unemployment rate 2.5 times higher than that of whites, but a significantly greater percentage of the white population is employed compared with blacks (61.6 percent compared with 54.2 percent). Evidence suggests that the real rate of unemployment and underemployment among blacks is 23.5 percent. The situation is…

Traces the history of discrimination against Hispanics in the public sector work force, drawing examples from large public agencies of Los Angeles (California) and other state and national public work forces. Hispanics must overturn the destructive strategies and policies so effectively used by the power elite. (SLD)

In 1993, 10.4 million people were classified as being among the working poor. Of those individuals living in poverty, 2.4 million worked year round at full-time jobs and 7.4 million lived in a household containing someone who was employed full time throughout the year. A U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics report identified low earnings, involuntary…

This report defines the social exclusion process by examining long-term unemployment and educational deficiencies in Europe and assessing the scope and effectiveness of the steps taken by the governments concerned to deal with the problem. Chapter I looks at education and prolonged unemployment in six countries that reflect the range of European…

In an examination of the private assumption of public responsibilities, the writer argues that development of the JOBS program occurred relatively smoothly, because the federal government, White House, and a segment of the business community shared a number of assumptions including a willingness to overlook the critical role played by the…

Stagnant or declining wages for less-educated workers make policies to upgrade the job market options for low wage workers an urgent priority. One in three low wage workers lives in a low income family. The link between low basic skills and low wages is strong. No single standard of minimum skill requirements applies to all middle income jobs, and…

Federal block grants and consolidated programs related to poverty reduction may compel states to streamline administrative structures and approaches that have deterred collaboration in the past. This report considers the block grant environment in making key policy recommendations for reducing poverty in rural areas, formulated during a Pathways…

This congressional report contains testimony dealing with on-the-job and apprenticeship training programs. More specifically, the testimony focused on the employment problems, educational and training needs, and programs available to assist unemployed as well as underemployed Vietnam era veterans. Included among those agencies and organizations…

Unemployment compensation in the United States is provided through a federal-state system of unemployment insurance (UI). UI provides temporary partial wage replacement to active job seekers who are involuntarily out of work. For older workers, UI is an important source of income security and a potential influence on work incentives. For example,…

The moral and ethical values enunciated by America's leading religious organizations lay much of the groundwork for its major democratic institutions and establish the benchmarks by which U.S. employment conditions and policies should be measured. The public's perception of the economy's relative well-being is based on oversimplified statistical…

This document contains the proceedings of a high-level conference on the Employment of Women, attended by labor ministers and other high officials of countries belonging to the Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD). Delegates to the conference adopted a 14-point declaration pledging themselves to achieve equality of…