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Employment and Unemployment

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An individual's education, age, and health status may present barriers or opportunities to employability, just as a region's economy, tax base, and number of immigrants and emigrants may affect job availability. RAND research examines the impact of a range of policies and forces—personal, regional, and global—on employment and unemployment.

Project

American Working Conditions Survey

Aug 14, 2017

How do Americans perceive their workplace? RAND's American Working Conditions Survey shows workers find their jobs physically demanding, hazardous, and hectic—but also social and supportive, and many retirees would prefer to return to work.
Research Brief

Scholarships Improve Work Prospects for Military Spouses

Nov 29, 2018

MyCAA Scholarships are reaching the intended population—military spouses who want or need work, who are early in their careers, and who face military moves and deployments. Findings regarding work and earnings are promising, and personnel married to MyCAA users are more likely to still be on active duty three years after the scholarship is awarded.

Explore Employment and Unemployment

News Release

Parents Who Support Unemployed Adult Children Curb Their Own Behavior

Parents who financially help their unemployed adult children offset such costs by adjusting their behavior, particularly by spending less money on food, working more, and reducing retirement savings.

Jul 9, 2019
Journal Article

Journal Article

Pittsburgh Equity Indicators: A Baseline Measurement for Enhancing Equity in Pittsburgh

The Pittsburgh Equity Indicators assess annual progress toward equitable opportunities and outcomes for Pittsburghers of all races, genders, and incomes. The 2017 report summarizes baseline equality scores, which measure disparities in Pittsburgh.

Apr 24, 2019
Journal Article

Pittsburgh Equity Indicators: A Baseline Measurement for Enhancing Equity in Pittsburgh

The 2018 Pittsburgh Equity Indicators report in enables the comparison of two years of data to measure change in disparities. The report includes information on equality scores for 2017 and 2018, as well as "change scores" between years.

Apr 24, 2019
Journal Article

Journal Article

Knowledge Development Report: Veterans' Employment and Training Services (VETS) Research Study Design

This report presents information needed to design an evaluation that can address questions specified in a Congressionally-mandated Department of Labor longitudinal study of job counseling, training, and placement service for veterans.

Apr 17, 2019
Journal Article

Journal Article

Evaluation Design Options Report: Veterans' Employment and Training Services (VETS) Research Study Design

This report presents multiple evaluation design options to address questions specified in specified in a Congressionally-mandated Department of Labor longitudinal study of job counseling, training, and placement service for veterans.

Apr 17, 2019
Commentary

Economic Burden or Opportunity? How Syrian Refugees Can Contribute to Local Economies

The influx of refugees escaping the war in Syria has placed an enormous economic burden on the countries that host them. Despite the challenges, host countries have an opportunity to capitalize on the presence of refugees to grow their own economies for the mutual benefit of all.

Mar 25, 2019
Report

Report

Developing a National Recruiting Difficulty Index

The U.S. Army recognizes that the recruiting environment has a significant impact on its ability to recruit. This report presents a forecasting model that measures recruiting difficulty to forecast a difficult or easy recruiting environment.

Mar 13, 2019
Commentary

Jobs Can Improve the Lives of Syrian Refugees and Their Host Communities

Host governments, international development agencies, and donor countries like the United States could take several steps to improve Syrian refugee employment. This would increase self-reliance among Syrian refugees and ease pressures on host communities.

Mar 11, 2019
Commentary

As Refugees, Syrian Women Find Liberation in Working

Syrian refugee women in Turkey, Lebanon, and Jordan want opportunities to work. But there are multiple barriers and challenges that limit them. Improving the chances of safe and dignified work opportunities for Syrian women in these countries could yield broad positive social benefits for both the refugee and host communities.

Feb 19, 2019
Journal Article

Journal Article

Functional Limitations and Employment Among Disability Benefit Recipients with Musculoskeletal Conditions: A Mediation Analysis

This paper uses the National Beneficiary Survey to study the relationship between functional limitations, health conditions and employment among disability beneficiaries with musculoskeletal conditions in a multivariate mediation analysis.

Feb 19, 2019
Commentary

For One Syrian Refugee, the Research Strikes Close to Home

Fadia Afashe came to the United States to study public policy in 2011, with every intention of eventually going home to Syria. But when her fellowship ended a year later, the possibility of returning home had vanished. She became a refugee success story, but a path for others is needed.

Dec 22, 2018
Research Brief

Research Brief

Unequal Opportunity: Barriers to Employment in the Department of Defense Civilian Workforce

Summarizes results of research into representation of Hispanic people and people with targeted disabilities among the Department of Defense civilian workforce.

Dec 13, 2018
Report

Representation of Persons with Targeted Disabilities: An Analysis of Barriers to Employment in the Department of Defense Civilian Workforce

This report identifies employment barriers within the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) that persons with targeted disabilities (PWTD) may experience and recommends actions DoD can take to increase employment of PWTD in its civilian workforce.

Dec 13, 2018
Commentary

Europe's Five Strategies for Coping with Migration Pressure

Migration will likely continue to be a long-term challenge for European politics, institutions, governments, and values. Even with a drop in numbers and the development of institutional capabilities to manage migration, the European Union still has important tasks ahead of it.

Dec 3, 2018
Report

Scholarships Associated with Employment and Higher Earnings for Military Spouses

MyCAA Scholarships aim to help military spouses obtain associate's degrees, occupational certificates, or licenses in high-demand portable career fields. They are associated with employment and higher earnings, and service members married to MyCAA users are more likely to be on active duty three years later.

Nov 29, 2018
Report

Report

Skills demand in the Cambridge area: Attracting and retaining skills

RAND Europe conducted a study examining the evidence on skills shortages in the labour pool of the Cambridge region to help inform policy discussion about developing skills at a local level.

Oct 23, 2018
Dissertation

Dissertation

Three Essays on Economic Growth and Human Welfare

Examines the influence of macroeconomic factors on individual welfare.

Oct 11, 2018
Journal Article

Journal Article

The Impact of Labor Market Regulation on Employment in Low-Income Countries: A Meta-Analysis

We conclude that the evidence for LICs (and recent LICs) points to a negative effect of regulations on formal employment, and a compensating positive effect on informal employment.

Sep 19, 2018
Essay

Appalachia Partnership Helps Both Workers and Employers in a Changing Market

An innovative program in Appalachia is realigning the skills of the workforce with the needs of employers, getting people back on the job and providing a 21st-century model of workforce development.

Aug 30, 2018

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