This book examines the wages people earn, the jobs they do, and the effect of government labor market policies on wages and employment. The book synthesizes research findings on these topics, using a human capital framework that no other similar book offers. The authors present an integrated evaluation of education subsidies, training programs, gender and race equality programs, unemployment insurance laws, minimum wage legislation, union protection laws, health and safety laws and employment protection laws.

This volume comprises 12 chapters, each accounting for a particular aspect of worker well-being. Among the issues addressed are: employee compensation, job loss, disability, health, gender, education, contract negotiation, and macroeconomic labor policy. The volume provides answers to a number of important questions. For example, why do smaller, newer companies better match CEO pay to profits than old, established corporations? Which demographic groups are most prone to job losses? What does marital status have to do with the glass ceiling? Does retiring from work increase one's mental...

This volume contains 15 essays devoted to a number of multifaceted issues regarding how public policy affects worker well-being. Of the 15 chapters, the first two are the more general, dealing with overall earnings distribution and overall changes in welfare policy. The remaining chapters examine specific aspects of human welfare. They cover: fertility, disability, minimum wage, pension wealth, human capital investment, migration, health, and earnings. The book culminates with four chapters relating to gender and the family. Ultimately, determining who works, how much is earned, and how these...