Smlr_net November 2007

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NYTimes.com: Study: Foreign Students Added to Economy
by sagauro＠rci.rutgers.edu 12 Nov '07

12 Nov '07

This page was sent to you by: sagauro(a)rci.rutgers.edu. NATIONAL | November 12, 2007 Study: Foreign Students Added to Economy By TAMAR LEWIN International students' net contribution to the United States economy was nearly $14.5 billion In the 2006-7 school year, according to a new report. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/12/us/12international.html?ex=1195534800&en=… ---------------------------------------------------------- ABOUT THIS E-MAIL This e-mail was sent to you by a friend through NYTimes.com's E-mail This Article service. For general information about NYTimes.com, write to help(a)nytimes.com. NYTimes.com 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018 Copyright 2007 The New York Times Company

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NYTimes.com: Day 2 of Stagehands' Strike, and a Chill Sets In
by sagauro＠rci.rutgers.edu 12 Nov '07

12 Nov '07

This page was sent to you by: sagauro(a)rci.rutgers.edu. THEATER | November 12, 2007 Day 2 of Stagehands' Strike, and a Chill Sets In By CAMPBELL ROBERTSON Striking stagehands and the other Broadway workers supporting them are realizing: This could go for a while. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/12/theater/12broadway.html?ex=1195534800&en=… ---------------------------------------------------------- ABOUT THIS E-MAIL This e-mail was sent to you by a friend through NYTimes.com's E-mail This Article service. For general information about NYTimes.com, write to help(a)nytimes.com. NYTimes.com 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018 Copyright 2007 The New York Times Company

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NYTimes.com: U.S. Writers Strike Could Mean Big Changes In Advertising
by sagauro＠rci.rutgers.edu 12 Nov '07

12 Nov '07

This page was sent to you by: sagauro(a)rci.rutgers.edu. ARTS | November 12, 2007 U.S. Writers Strike Could Mean Big Changes In Advertising By REUTERS NEW YORK (Reuters) - The Hollywood screenwriters strike is less than a week old, but already concerns are spreading that a long walk-out could drastically change the face of television advertising. http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/arts/entertainment-screenwriters-strike-adve… ---------------------------------------------------------- ABOUT THIS E-MAIL This e-mail was sent to you by a friend through NYTimes.com's E-mail This Article service. For general information about NYTimes.com, write to help(a)nytimes.com. NYTimes.com 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018 Copyright 2007 The New York Times Company

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[IWS] GAO: WOMEN AND LOW-SKILLED WORKERS: Other Countries' Policies and Practices That May Help These Workers Enter and Remain in the Labor Force, GAO-07-817 [14 June 2007]]
by Eugene McElroy 12 Nov '07

12 Nov '07

WOMEN AND LOW-SKILLED WORKERS: Other Countries' Policies and Practices That May Help These Workers Enter and Remain in the Labor Force, GAO-07-817 [14 June 2007] http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d07817.pdf [full-text, 47 pages] Why GAO Did This Study Increasing retirements and declining fertility rates, among other factors, could affect the labor force growth in many developed countries. To maintain the size and productivity of the labor force, many governments and employers have introduced strategies to keep workers, such as women and low-skilled workers, in the workforce throughout their working lives. Because other countries have also undertaken efforts to address issues similar to those occurring in the U.S., GAO was asked to (1) describe the policies and practices implemented in other developed countries that may help women and low-wage/low-skilled workers enter and remain in the labor force; (2) examine the targeted groups' employment following the implementation of the policies and practices; and (3) identify the factors that affect employees' use of workplace benefits and the resulting implications. We conducted an extensive review of workplace flexibility and training strategies in a range of developed countries, and we conducted site visits to selected countries. Our reviews were limited to materials that were available in English. While we identified relevant national policies in the U.S., we did not determine whether other countries' strategies could be implemented here. Labor provided technical comments, and State had no comments on this report. What GAO Found Governments and employers have developed a variety of laws, government policies, and formal and informal practices, including periods of leave, flexible work schedules, child care, and training. Each of the countries we reviewed has some form of family leave, such as maternity, paternity, or parental leave, that attempts to balance the needs of employers and employees, and, often, attempts to help women and low-wage/low-skilled workers enter and remain in the workforce. In Denmark, employed women with a work history of at least 120 hours in the 13 weeks prior to the leave are allowed 18 weeks of paid maternity leave. In addition to family leave for parents, countries provide other types of leave, and have established workplace flexibility arrangements for workers. U.S. federal law allows for unpaid leave under certain circumstances. All of the countries we reviewed, including the United States, also subsidize child care for some working parents through a variety of means, such as direct benefits to parents for child care or tax credits. For example, in Canada, the government provides direct financial support of $100 a month per child, to eligible parents for each child under 6. Last, governments and employers have a range of training and apprenticeship programs to help unemployed people find jobs and to help those already in the workforce advance in their careers. Although research shows that benefits such as parental leave are associated with increased employment, research on training programs is mixed. Leave reduces the amount of time that mothers spend out of the labor force. Cross-national studies show that child careparticularly when it is subsidized and regulated with quality standardsis positively related to women's employment. Available research on training in some of the countries we reviewed shows mixed results in helping the unemployed get jobs. While some initiatives have shown promise, some evaluations of specific practices have not been conducted. Some country officials said it is difficult to attribute effects to a specific policy because the policies are either new or because they codified long-standing practices. While policies do appear to affect workforce participation, many factors can affect the uptake of workplace benefits, and employees' use of these benefits can have implications for employers and employees. For example, employees' use of workplace benefits can create management challenges for their employers. Additionally, employees are more likely to take family leave if they feel that their employer is supportive. However, while a Canadian province provides 12 days of unpaid leave to deal with emergencies or sickness, low-wage workers cannot always afford to take it. Similarly, the uptake of available benefits can also have larger implications for an employee's career. Some part-time jobs have no career advancement opportunities and limited access to other benefits. Since employers tend to target their training to higher-skilled and full-time workers, employees who opt to work part-time may have fewer opportunities for on-the-job training that could help them advance, according to researchers in the Netherlands. ______________________________ **************************************** Stuart Basefsky Director, IWS News Bureau Institute for Workplace Studies Cornell/ILR School 16 E. 34th Street, 4th Floor New York, NY 10016 Telephone: (607) 255-2703 Fax: (607) 255-9641 E-mail: smb6(a)cornell.edu **************************************** -- Eugene McElroy Rutgers University School of Management and Labor Relations Library 50 Labor Center Way New Brunswick, New Jersey 08901 732-932-9513 tel: 732-932-9513 ********

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[IWS] GAO: WOMEN AND LOW-SKILLED WORKERS [Testimony]: Other Countries' Policies and Practices That May Help These Workers Enter and Remain in the Labor Force, GAO-07-817T [14 June 2007]
by Eugene McElroy 12 Nov '07

12 Nov '07

GAO Testimony WOMEN AND LOW-SKILLED WORKERS: Other Countries' Policies and Practices That May Help These Workers Enter and Remain in the Labor Force, GAO-07-817T [14 June 2007] http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d07989t.pdf [full-text, 25 pages] [excerpt] Concluding Observations Workplace policies and practices of the countries we studied generally reflect cooperation among government, employer, and employee organizations. Many developed countries have implemented policies and practices that help workers enter and remain in the workforce at different phases of their working lives. These policies and practices, which have included family leave and child care, for example, have been adopted through legislation, negotiated by employee groups, and, at times, independently initiated by private industry groups or individual employers. U.S. government and businesses, recognizing a growing demand for workplace training and flexibility, also offer benefits and are seeking ways to address these issues to recruit and retain workers. Potentially increasing women's labor force participation by further facilitating a balance of work and family, and improving the skills of low-wage workers throughout their careers, may be important in helping the United States maintain the size and productivity of its labor force in the future, given impending retirements. While other countries have a broader range of workforce benefits and flexibility and training initiatives, little is known about the effects of these strategies. Whether the labor force participation gains and any other positive outcomes from adopting other countries' policies would be realized in the United States is unknown. Moreover, any benefits that might come from any initiatives must be weighed against their associated costs. Nonetheless, investigating particular features of such policies and practices in some of the developed countries may provide useful information as all countries address similar issues. ______________________________**************************************** Stuart Basefsky Director, IWS News Bureau Institute for Workplace Studies Cornell/ILR School 16 E. 34th Street, 4th Floor New York, NY 10016 Telephone: (607) 255-2703 Fax: (607) 255-9641 E-mail: smb6(a)cornell.edu **************************************** -- Eugene McElroy Rutgers University School of Management and Labor Relations Library 50 Labor Center Way New Brunswick, New Jersey 08901 732-932-9513 tel: 732-932-9513 ********

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NYTimes.com: Health Care Excuses
by sagauro＠rci.rutgers.edu 09 Nov '07

09 Nov '07

This page was sent to you by: sagauro(a)rci.rutgers.edu. OPINION | November 9, 2007 Op-Ed Columnist: Health Care Excuses By PAUL KRUGMAN The reality is that the best foreign health care systems do as well or better than the U.S. system, while costing far less money. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/09/opinion/09krugman.html?ex=1195275600&en=8… ---------------------------------------------------------- ABOUT THIS E-MAIL This e-mail was sent to you by a friend through NYTimes.com's E-mail This Article service. For general information about NYTimes.com, write to help(a)nytimes.com. NYTimes.com 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018 Copyright 2007 The New York Times Company

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[IWS] CRS: UNDESTANDING MORTGAGE FORECLOSURE: Recent Events, the Process, and Costs [5 November 2007]]
by Eugene McElroy 08 Nov '07

08 Nov '07

Congressional Research Service (CRS) Order Code RL34232 Understanding Mortgage Foreclosure: Recent Events, the Process, and Costs November 5, 2007 Darryl E. Getter, Specialist in Financial Economics, Government and Finance Division http://opencrs.cdt.org/rpts/RL34232_20071105.pdf [full-text, 15 pages] Summary As evidenced by the numerous bills introduced in the 110th Congress during the first session, there is much concern over recent developments in the housing and mortgage markets. Bills such as H.R. 3019, the Expand and Preserve Home Ownership Through Counseling Act (Representative Judy Biggert) and H.R. 3666, the Foreclosure Prevention and Home Ownership Protection Act (Representative Betty Sutton et al.) include sections that speak specifically about foreclosures. These bills would authorize studies on current defaults and foreclosures, as well as possible causes. This report provides a general analysis and overview of current foreclosure issues addressed in the bills cited above. It begins with a description of the behavior of aggregate foreclosure rates. The behaviors of foreclosure rates are placed in the context of activity in the housing and mortgage market to illustrate any relationships. The foreclosure process is then explained, first from the point of view of a traditional financial lending institution, and then from the viewpoint of securitization when loans are sold in secondary markets. Finally, this report collects information from other studies to obtain an estimate of the average foreclosure costs. A brief discussion of the effect uniform foreclosure legislation may have on costs follows. Contents Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 The Recent Foreclosure Experience . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 The General Foreclosure Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 A Traditional Lending Framework . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6 A Structured Financing Framework . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Estimates of Foreclosure Costs . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Could National Foreclosure Laws Reduce Costs? . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12 List of Figures Figure 1. Percentage of Foreclosures by Aggregate Category . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3 Figure 2. Percentage of Foreclosures FRM versus ARM . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 ______________________________ This information is provided to subscribers, friends, faculty, students and alumni of the School of Industrial & Labor Relations (ILR). It is a service of the Institute for Workplace Studies (IWS) in New York City. Stuart Basefsky is responsible for the selection of the contents which is intended to keep researchers, companies, workers, and governments aware of the latest information related to ILR disciplines as it becomes available for the purposes of research, understanding and debate. The content does not reflect the opinions or positions of Cornell University, the School of Industrial & Labor Relations, or that of Mr. Basefsky and should not be construed as such. The service is unique in that it provides the original source documentation, via links, behind the news and research of the day. Use of the information provided is unrestricted. However, it is requested that users acknowledge that the information was found via the IWS Documented News Service. **************************************** Stuart Basefsky Director, IWS News Bureau Institute for Workplace Studies Cornell/ILR School 16 E. 34th Street, 4th Floor New York, NY 10016 Telephone: (607) 255-2703 Fax: (607) 255-9641 E-mail: smb6(a)cornell.edu **************************************** -- Eugene McElroy Rutgers University School of Management and Labor Relations Library 50 Labor Center Way New Brunswick, New Jersey 08901 732-932-9513 tel: 732-932-9513 ********

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[IWS] EBRI: REQUIRE EMPLOYER OFFERED HEALTH BENEFITS? [8 November 2007]]
by Eugene McElroy 08 Nov '07

08 Nov '07

Employee Benefit Research Institute Fast Facts from EBRI FFE #67, Nov. 8, 2007 Should Employers Be Required to Provide Health Benefits? [8 November 2007] http://www.ebri.org/pdf/publications/facts/fastfacts/fastfact110807.pdf [full-text, 1 page] WASHINGTONHow do Americans feel about requiring employers to provide and contribute to health insurance coverage for their workers? Would Americans be willing to pay more in federal income taxes to make sure everyone has health insurance? The 2007 Health Confidence Survey, released recently by the nonpartisan Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI), asked some basic questions to gauge reactions to some of the health care policy changes that are currently being considered at the national level. Several of these questions concerned means by which health care coverage could be expanded to include all Americans. Others concerned the tax treatment of health care benefits. Here are the results: Employer Mandate The survey found strong support for a legal mandate that employers provide and contribute to health insurance coverage for their workers. More than 9 out of 10 (91 percent) of those surveyed supported an employer mandate. And more than 4 in 10 (42 percent) said all employers, regardless of size, should be included in such a mandate. Almost 2 in 10 (18 percent) thought only employers with 30 or more workers should be required to provide and contribute to coverage, while 1 in 10 each said employers with at least 50 workers (12 percent) or at least 100 workers (10 percent) should be required to do this. Just 5 percent indicated that only employers with 1,000 or more workers should be included in an employer mandate, and only 1 in 10 (9 percent) said that no employers should be required to provide and subsidize health insurance coverage. Tax Increase for Total Coverage Two-thirds of Americans (68 percent) said they would be willing to pay 1 percent more in federal income taxes than they do now to make sure all Americans have health insurance. Four in 10 (39 percent) indicated a willingness to pay 3 percent more in taxes, and 2 in 10 (22 percent) stated they would be willing to pay 5 percent more to ensure all Americans have health coverage. Tax Treatment of Health Benefits More than half (54 percent) think the fairest income tax treatment of the costs of health care and health insurance would be to allow people to deduct all of these expenses. Considerably fewer (36 percent) said the fairest tax treatment would be to allow people to deduct only those health care costs that exceed a certain percentage of their income. Five percent said that no one should be able to deduct health care costs, and the same percentage was unwilling to express an opinion. A majority of Americans (61 percent) said the fairest tax treatment would be to have rules that take income into consideration, with larger tax breaks for those with lower income. Only about one-third (36 percent) said the rules should be the same for everyone, no matter what their household income. Complete results of the 2007 Health Confidence Survey were published in the November 2007 EBRI Notes, available at http://www.ebri.org/surveys/hcs/2007/ Fast Facts from EBRI is issued occasionally by the nonpartisan Employee Benefit Research Institute to highlight benefits information that may be of current interest. Established in 1978, EBRI is an independent nonprofit organization committed exclusively to data dissemination, policy research, and education on economic security and employee benefits. EBRI does not take policy positions and does not lobby. ______________________________ **************************************** Stuart Basefsky Director, IWS News Bureau Institute for Workplace Studies Cornell/ILR School 16 E. 34th Street, 4th Floor New York, NY 10016 Telephone: (607) 255-2703 Fax: (607) 255-9641 E-mail: smb6(a)cornell.edu **************************************** -- Eugene McElroy Rutgers University School of Management and Labor Relations Library 50 Labor Center Way New Brunswick, New Jersey 08901 732-932-9513 tel: 732-932-9513 ********

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BLS: NONFATAL OCCUPATIONAL INJURIES & ILLNESSES REQUIRING DAYS AWAY FROM WORK, 2006 [8 November 2007]]
by Eugene McElroy 08 Nov '07

08 Nov '07

NONFATAL OCCUPATIONAL INJURIES AND ILLNESSES REQUIRING DAYS AWAY FROM WORK, 2006 [8 November 2007] http://www.bls.gov/news.release/osh2.nr0.htm or http://www.bls.gov/news.release/pdf/osh2.pdf [full-text, 44 pages] Both the rate and the number of occupational injuries and illnesses requiring days away from work decreased from 2005 to 2006, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department Labor. The 2006 rate was 128 per 10,000 workers, a decrease of 6 percent from 2005. There were 1.2 million cases requiring days away from work in private industry, which represented a decrease of 51,180 cases (or 4 percent). Median days away from worka key measure of the severity of the injury or illnesswas 7 days in 2006, the same as the prior two years. Key findings for 2006 nonfatal occupational injuries and illnesses requiring days away from work: - Nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants, had 49,480 days away from work cases and a rate of 526 per 10,000 workers, which was more than four times the total for all occupations. - Three other occupations with more than 40,000 cases had rates above 400 per 10,000 workers: construction laborers (488); laborers and freight, stock, and material movers (466); and heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers (411). - Men had a days-away-from-work rate of 143 per 10,000 workers; the rate for women was 106 per 10,000 workers. - Four out of ten days away from work cases were sprains or strains. Approximately one in five of these were suffered by laborers and freight, stock, and material movers; heavy and tractor-trailer truck drivers; and nursing aides, orderlies, and attendants. - Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) accounted for 30 percent of the injuries and illnesses with days away from work, the same percentage as in 2005. AND MUCH MORE...including TABLES.... **************************************** Stuart Basefsky Director, IWS News Bureau Institute for Workplace Studies Cornell/ILR School 16 E. 34th Street, 4th Floor New York, NY 10016 Telephone: (607) 255-2703 Fax: (607) 255-9641 E-mail: smb6(a)cornell.edu **************************************** -- Eugene McElroy Rutgers University School of Management and Labor Relations Library 50 Labor Center Way New Brunswick, New Jersey 08901 732-932-9513 tel: 732-932-9513 ********

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NYTimes.com: House Approves Broad Protections for Gay Workers
by sagauro＠rci.rutgers.edu 07 Nov '07

07 Nov '07

This page was sent to you by: sagauro(a)rci.rutgers.edu. WASHINGTON | November 8, 2007 House Approves Broad Protections for Gay Workers By DAVID M. HERSZENHORN A bill granting protections against discrimination in the workplace for gays was praised by supporters as a civil rights achievement. http://www.nytimes.com/2007/11/08/washington/08employ.html?ex=1195102800&en… ---------------------------------------------------------- ABOUT THIS E-MAIL This e-mail was sent to you by a friend through NYTimes.com's E-mail This Article service. For general information about NYTimes.com, write to help(a)nytimes.com. NYTimes.com 620 Eighth Avenue New York, NY 10018 Copyright 2007 The New York Times Company

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