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来源类型 | Research Report |
规范类型 | 报告 |
The Nature of Work and the Social Safety Net | |
Pamela J. Loprest; Demetra Smith Nightingale | |
发表日期 | 2018-07-23 |
出版年 | 2018 |
语种 | 英语 |
概述 | Work is at the core of the American dream, bringing to people the promise of income, dignity, and security. The US social safety net has historically reinforced this work ethic, premised on employer-provided benefits in combination with public programs, policies, and workplace laws and regulations.Yet shifts in the economy and the nature of work have created challenges for the social safety net. There is |
摘要 | Work is at the core of the American dream, bringing to people the promise of income, dignity, and security. The US social safety net has historically reinforced this work ethic, premised on employer-provided benefits in combination with public programs, policies, and workplace laws and regulations. Yet shifts in the economy and the nature of work have created challenges for the social safety net. There is growing concern that the safety net is increasingly at odds with current and future labor market realities. This report examines these changes, discusses the implications for the social safety net, and offers potential policy solutions. What is the social safety net? We define the US social safety net broadly, including structures and supports that have proven essential to the country’s diverse spectrum of workers. For most US workers from the postwar era until at least the 1970s, employer benefits in combination with public policies and programs created a social safety net. Unemployment insurance helped people out of work. Social Security, employer retirement and health benefits, and Medicare helped those in retirement. Workers compensation and disability insurance helped those injured on the job. Paid leave from employers allowed workers flexibility when they were sick or to attend to the needs of a family member. Wages, even for many without a college degree, allowed a reasonable standard of living. Tax credits and public assistance provided income support to those whose incomes were low. How work has changed and what it means for workers and families Over the past few decades, the industrial and occupational nature of work and workplaces have transformed, creating new challenges. As rapid technological advances take hold and industries shift from a base in manufacturing to services and technology, the structure of work and the relationships between workers and employers have also changed. More businesses are relying on workers who do not have regular employee status, such as temporary workers and independent contractors. Many have reduced or do not provide certain worker benefits. This creates tension for the social safety net because most of the nation’s social policies, such as health insurance, unemployment insurance, and pensions, are based on the traditional employer-employee relationship. In addition, more employers are contracting out whole areas of business (e.g., janitorial services or food preparation) that they do not see as “core” to their mission, leaving those workers in separate firms with lower wages and fewer benefits. This fissuring of the labor market is also reflected in other areas, such as the use of franchising models. Implications for the social safety net These shifts in work have created stark challenges for the social safety net:
Potential solutions for the social safety net Policymakers should consider the following solutions as they address the challenges facing the social safety net:
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主题 | Economic Growth and Productivity ; Education and Training ; Poverty, Vulnerability, and the Safety Net |
URL | https://www.urban.org/research/publication/nature-work-and-social-safety-net |
来源智库 | Urban Institute (United States) |
资源类型 | 智库出版物 |
条目标识符 | http://119.78.100.153/handle/2XGU8XDN/480267 |
推荐引用方式 GB/T 7714 | Pamela J. Loprest,Demetra Smith Nightingale. The Nature of Work and the Social Safety Net. 2018. |
条目包含的文件 | ||||||
文件名称/大小 | 资源类型 | 版本类型 | 开放类型 | 使用许可 | ||
the_nature_of_work_a(303KB) | 智库出版物 | 限制开放 | CC BY-NC-SA | 浏览 |
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