Outsourcing can involve the forced transfer of employees to another organisation. During or after the transfer they may find their jobs have changed or go through a process of downsizing. They also often have to maintain a relationship with their previous employer as they continue to work on joint projects. In this paper we review relevant…

Although conventional wisdom indicates that temporary workers are becoming the norm and full-time workers are becoming an anachronism, statistics do not bear this position out. The truth includes the following facts: (1) companies are using more temporary workers, but these new employment arrangements provide new entry points into the labor market…

Although the general perception in the United States may be that downsizing in companies is pervasive and increasing, the facts show a slowing of the trend in downsizing and a net gain in employment. Many workers have found new jobs at or near their former pay rates, although only half of older workers are able to find jobs comparable to the ones…

Four major trends reshaping the American economy are having a tremendous effect on the number and nature of jobs in the United States: (1) corporate downsizing; (2) the outsourcing of work and services; (3) increasing use of "contingent" workers; and (4) the increasing income disparity between high school and college graduates. These trends have…

The need for a national policy for the development and use of human resources is evident. One part of the human resource development issue centers around the needs of adult workers who are unemployed or threatended with unemployment because of structural changes in the labor market. The issue of retraining adult workers was examined in detail in…

This document analyzes the labor market problems of displaced older workers. Chapter 1 is an introduction. Chapter 2 describes the magnitude of the problems of unemployment, discouragement, and displacement of older workers. The outcomes of unemployment are discussed, with attention to the duration of unemployment, the effects of displacement, and…

This report was written for the Technology Policy Task Force of the Committee on Science, Space, and Technology, U.S. House of Representatives. The report examines the nature and history of technological change, its impact on large and small firms and their workers, and its policy implications. The paper stresses that individuals, schools, firms,…

New corporate practices and strategies, technological advances and rising job skill requirements are making postsecondary training a virtual necessity for a high-paying job. This is driving a wedge between the earnings of education "haves" and "have nots." Corporate restructuring is eliminating hundreds of thousands of jobs,…

Data from national administrative and telephone surveys of nationally representative samples of unemployment insurance (UI) recipients who began collecting benefits in 1998 were analyzed to identify changes in the UI claimant population over the past 10 years and determine whether the time has come to retool the nation's reemployment services. The…

An examination of the changes that are likely to occur in work and productivity in the future reveals that, at least before the year 2000, Americans are not likely to see many new jobs created and will probably not be required to alter their skills greatly for existing jobs. It will be difficult to duplicate the sustained productivity attained…

Faced with worker displacement stemming from a changing economy, states are acting to soften the economic impact of displacement on affected individuals and businesses. Key strategies and practices are as follows: (1) anticipating layoffs by analyzing economic and labor market trends (using data to anticipate layoffs; developing an early warning…