RAND Research Topic: Labor Markets

Do Disability Benefits Discourage Work?

Sep 19, 2011

Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) is intended to replace lost income for people suffering from a disability that is likely to cause substantial long-term losses in earnings. This study examines the work history of SSDI applicants to determine whether receipt of SSDI benefits discourages beneficiaries from working, and how this effect varies by level of impairment.

Would Changing SSDI Program Rules Induce Entry?

Sep 16, 2011

Changing the Social Security Disability Insurance program rules could reduce caseload costs by encouraging a return to work, but it could also create unintended consequences by inducing more workers to apply for benefits.

Number of Mexican Immigrants Returning Home Dropped During Latest Recession

Jul 13, 2011

Fewer Mexican immigrants returned home from the United States during 2008 and 2009 than in the two years prior to the start of the recession, a finding that contradicts the notion that the economic downturn has hastened return migration to Mexico.

RAND Partners with BPS-Statistics Indonesia to Offer Translated Survey Data

Jun 9, 2011

The RAND Indonesia Data Core is an online digital library of Indonesian data surveys and documentation with Indonesian originals and English translations. Surveys cover socieconomic status, the labor force, small and large businesses, households, and urban and rural prices.

Targeted Help on Skills and Training Is a 'Win-Win' for European Policymakers

Apr 20, 2011

The economic crisis of 2008 undid much of Europe's progress in employment and economic growth over the previous 20 years. A RAND Europe study proposes that European institutions should focus on policies that support the most vulnerable groups in society in order to grow employment and reduce income inequality.

How can Europe promote labour force participation and reduce income inequality?

Apr 20, 2011

Improving labour force participation and reducing income inequality require social investment in the groups at risk. This study identifies challenges and suggests ideas for policymakers to improve the situation.

Targeted Help on Skills and Training Is a 'Win-Win' for European Policymakers

Apr 20, 2011

European institutions should focus on policies that support the most vulnerable groups in society in order to grow employment and reduce income inequality.

Is a Dream Deferred a Dream Denied? Evidence from a Mexican College Lottery

Mar 23, 2011

The standard model of educational decisions predicts no (or minimal) effects of deferral on educational attainment, but this model may not tell the whole story. A study of those who were not accepted by lottery to a Mexican college shows that labor market effects must also be considered.

How Do Labor Market Shocks Affect the Timing of Social Security Benefit Claims?

Jan 31, 2011

Many displaced workers suffer near-permanent losses in earnings capacity, especially during economic downturns. Understanding the relationship between labor market shocks and the decision to claim disability or retirement benefits can help policymakers prepare for future recessions.

Center for Disability Research Seeks to Understand Social and Economic Causes, Effects of Disability

Jan 21, 2011

The RAND Center for Disability Research aims to better understand the social and economic causes and consequences of disability. Research themes include examining the roles of employers, health-care markets, knowledge networks, and social insurance programs.

Longitudinal Survey Explores Indonesian Family Life

Dec 6, 2010

The Indonesian Family Life Survey is an ongoing, longitudinal survey begun in 1993 that represents about 83% of the Indonesian population and includes over 30,000 individuals living in 13 of the country's 27 provinces.

Immigration Behavior and the Labor Market Decisions of Middle-Aged and Elderly Mexicans

Dec 2, 2010

To understand what policies and incentives influence the decisionmaking patterns of middle-aged and elderly Mexicans, RAND researchers used panel data from the Mexican Health and Aging Study to compare the retirement behavior of non-migrant Mexicans with those who had migration spells to the United States and later returned to Mexico.

Effects of Legalization on the Economic Status of Immigrants

Dec 2, 2010

Not enough is known about the economic effects of changing the legal status of undocumented immigrants in the United States. This project estimates the causal effects of legalization to inform future U.S. immigration reform proposals.

Diversity Management Project Collects Data to Better Assess Workforce Policy

Oct 14, 2010

Through the Diversity Management Project, RAND Labor and Population will examine how best to achieve and harness workplace diversity, a growing priority for U.S. companies and government agencies who want their workforces to reflect the evolving racial, ethnic, socio-economic, and generational makeup of American society and meet the challenges of the global market place.

Job Search on the Internet, E-Recruitment, and Labor Market Outcomes

Sep 23, 2010

Examines the role of the Internet in the job search process and its impact on labor market outcomes.

Survey Data Provide Insights into Malaysian Family Life

Sep 17, 2010

The Malaysian Family Life Surveys were conducted in 1976-1977 and 1988-1989. The surveys collected detailed current and retrospective information on family structure, fertility, economic status, education, and more from a partially-overlapping sample of more than 4,000 individuals and households.

Population Research Center Advances Collection of Micro-Data for Demographic Research

Sep 15, 2010

The Population Research Center is dedicated to the scientific advancement of population studies in a period when demographic changes are creating especially complex theoretical and public policy issues.

Displaced New Orleans Residents Survey (DNORS) Assesses Vulnerable Populations, Post-Katrina

Aug 2, 2010

The new Displaced New Orleans Residents Survey examines the current location, well-being, and plans of people who lived in the City of New Orleans when Hurricane Katrina struck in August 2005.

Encouraging Work at Older Ages

Jul 14, 2010

As men and women extend their working lives, they enhance their own retirement income security and may ease the strain of an aging population on economic growth as well as shore up the finances of Social Security and Medicare, according to testimony presented by Nicole Maestas before the Senate Finance Committee.

The Workforce and Economic Recovery: Effects of Hurricane Katrina

Jun 15, 2010

In addition to the $100 billion in damages caused by Hurricane Katrina in 2005, there were relatively short-lived disruptions to labor markets in aggregate, but longer-term, detrimental employment effects on workers displaced to other regions.