Social assistance in China and Sweden: how policy intentions are translated into local practices

This article compares social assistance policies in China and Sweden, with a special focus on the means of translating policy intentions into local practices. Unlike China, Sweden has laws regulating social assistance, which is intended to ensure a ‘reasonable standard of living’. Though considered a legal right, assistance is Sweden is means-tested. While social assistance claims are dealt with by the welfare bureaucracy in Sweden, in China the process of application involves the input of cadres, administrative officials from different levels of government, and neighbours. The challenges facing Sweden are to find ways to cope with long-term social assistance and to help recipients find work. The challenges facing China are to establish a social assistance law and standardized management procedures, and to incorporate the resources of social work.     

Chapter 2: The Business Case for the Integration of Employee Assistance,Work-Life and Wellness Services

SUMMARY

Employee assistance programs (EAP), work-life programs and wellness programs are three commonly provided kinds of interventions that have the goals of reducing healthcare costs, improving employee performance and fostering a healthier workplace culture. The integration of these kinds of programs is a recent trend that has the potential to offer additional synergistic benefits. New studies have linked comprehensive delivery services that support human capital needs with bottom-line financial success of the company. This evidence can be used to make the business case for offering EAP, work-life and wellness services in an integrated capacity. However, while promising, the scientific evidence thus far in this area has methodological limitations and there are critical aspects that require further study.     

海峡两岸跨境经济犯罪防治问题研究

当前很有必要深化对海峡两岸间跨境经济犯罪之惩治与防范的研究。跨越海峡两岸的经济犯罪与大陆地区和台湾地区的境内经济犯罪有着不同的表现,而海峡两岸刑事法学界对此的概括和分析也有所不同。这些差异对海峡两岸司法机关开展相关的刑事司法合作有一定的影响。海峡两岸司法机关可在侦查、起诉、审判和执行等刑事诉讼阶段展开合作,但需要特别注意妥当处理司法效率与司法公正的关系,以利于对海峡两岸跨境经济犯罪的有效防治。大陆地区需要立足于自身情况,结合海峡两岸跨境犯罪的具体特点,采取合理的预防措施。     

The potential of a couples approach to employment assistance: results of a nonexperimental evaluation

We present findings from a nonexperimental evaluation of an employment program in which both partners in young, low-income, primarily African-American couples simultaneously participated. Mothers participating in the couples program had larger immediate gains in employment and earnings and decreases in TANF receipt following their exit from the program relative to mothers who received employment assistance as individuals. Fathers showed similar although weaker results. These immediate benefits appeared to be driven by higher rates of program completion among couples’ participants. Couples in which both partners completed the program experienced the largest quarterly earnings gains, and couples with greater earnings’ gains were more likely to still be together one year after the program ended. Mothers’ earnings gains eroded in the two years following program completion and many reported new pregnancies and problems with child care. We suggest directions for future programs and encourage future studies to consider the range of mechanisms associated with a couples focus, including potential motivational benefits and unintended consequences.

论纪昀的天命思想

纪昀认为天命不只是一个独立于人之外的神秘力量,更是人期盼生存的最高理想,主张安命,立命,探求人生意义的理想境界。     

Workplace Crisis Intervention

Summary

The workplace, where adults spend about one-third of their lives, would seem an ideal place from which to promote health and respond to crisis. This paper employs a systematic statistical review of experimental and quasi-experimental research on workplace-based crisis intervention programs. Nine studies were identified that met inclusion criteria for further analysis. Results suggest that the workplace can be a useful platform from which to provide crisis intervention programs.     

Social expenditures and public administration: are local social assistance costs in Sweden a matter of organisation?

Minas R. Social expenditures and public administration: are local social assistance costs in Sweden a matter of organisation?
Int J Soc Welfare 2010: 19: 215–224 © 2009 The Author(s), Journal compilation © 2009 Blackwell Publishing Ltd and the International Journal of Social Welfare. This study examines the connection between organisational factors and local social assistance expenditures in Swedish municipalities. The organisation of social assistance units, particularly those for the intake of social assistance inquirers, and the possible implications for local social assistance costs are highlighted. The study is based on interview data from medium‐sized Swedish municipalities combined with register data covering the years from 1997 to 2001. The results show that socioeconomic factors have an overall dominant effect, but also that organisational factors co‐vary with local social assistance expenditures. The results show a cost‐reducing effect for special intake units: firstly, when these units are analysed together with other forms of specialisation and secondly, when staff resources are taken into account. Thus, specialised intake organisation by itself does not play a cost‐reducing role, but does so in combination with certain other factors that characterise the internal organisation of the social welfare office.     

民事诉讼代理视野下的“草根律师”制度——以成都地区为例

民事诉讼代理制度作为现代民事诉讼制度中的一项重要制度，是法律面前人人平等原则的重要体现和保障。但是在我国农村劳动力向城镇转移、劳动纠纷增多的时代背景下，我国民事诉讼代理制度日益暴露出一系列的问题。课题组通过大量的实证调研，拟从民事诉讼代理制度的基础理论出发，结合我国目前农民工维权的实际，在理论上初步构建“来自于农民工，服务于农民工”的“草根律师”制度，解决有关农民工劳动纠纷案件中的诉讼代理难的相关问题。     

农民工社会保障问题研究

建立健全农民工社会保障体系关系到我国和谐社会构建的成败。但目前我国农民工社会保障的法制建设落后，社会保险、社会救助和社会福利缺失。要加快农民工社会保障法律制度建设，降低农民工缴纳社会保险费的标准，建立与农民工收入水平联动的缴费标准机制，构建科学的农民工社会保险关系转移制度，加大国家对农民工社会保障建设的资金投入力度。     

Stress and coping in US organizations: The role of the Employee Assistance Programme

Abstract

The organizational role of the Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) is evaluated with particular respect to managerial and human resources policies and practices. Attention is given to models of the EAP, and an ideal-typical model is discussed. A synoptic view is taken covering the scope of the EAP, the sectors of application, the selection criteria for the EAP, as well as patterns of introduction-all within a contingency framework. A critical analysis is made of the roles of participants within the EAP process, as well as of problematic ethical and professional dimensions which the EAP introduces into organizational functioning. A final section treats the future forms of development which the EAP may follow to satisy both organizational and professional imperatives.