Farm Wives' Labor Force Participation and Earnings

Abstract The decisions of farm wives to work off the farm and the earnings they make in that off-farm employment should be considered simultaneously. Previous studies of wives' off-farm earnings have included only employed wives in their analyses of the factors affecting earnings, which results in biased estimates. This study tests, via Tobit analysis, a model which includes all farm wives and examines the effects of wives' human capital, farm and family constraints, and labor market characteristics on both their off-farm employment decisions and their earnings. Wives' off-farm earnings are found to be related to wives' education, labor market experience, presence of children, other family income, farm size, and debt/income ratio. Changes in these factors have a greater influence on the labor market participation decisions of farm wives than on the variation in their earnings, once employed.     

Réformes de l'immigration au Québec en 2019 et 2020: La logique politique à l’épreuve de l'analyse statistique

This research note examines the economic performance of economic immigrants selected under the Quebec Experience Program (PEQ). Launched in 2010 and currently being challenged by the Government of Quebec, this immigration program offers an accelerated path to obtaining a Quebec Selection Certificate. Drawing on data from The Longitudinal Immigration Database (IMDB), this analysis focuses on PEQ immigrants’ employment rates and employment income compared to the Quebec population aged 25 and 44, other economic immigrants admitted to Quebec, and candidates for the Canadian experience program admitted in another province. The results show that the first cohorts of this program performed very well on the Quebec job market, a performance that compares favorably with that of the other groups studied. The results indicate that the economic arguments put forward by the Québec Government to justify the reform of the PEQ do not withstand the statistical examination of employment outcomes; other factors should justify this reform.     

Paradoxe Folgen finanzieller Anreize zur Arbeitsaufnahme für die Beschäftigungsstabilität

Financial incentives to work (in-work benefits) are an instrument of labour market policy to motivate the unemployed to re-enter employment. Following neoclassical economic reasoning, such financial incentives should be effective, since the unemployed are expected to maximize financial utility. However, one common empirical finding is that such wage-subsidized employment is rather unstable. Applying Boudons cognitivist model to the ending of wage-subsidized employment the hypotheses are derived that firstly the in-work benefit is interpreted by the employee as a signal for the firm’s violation of the norm of reciprocity and secondly that the employee’s resulting sanctioning behaviour can raise the probability for job terminations. Survey data on in-work benefit recipients is used to test the hypotheses, performing ordered logit and event history analysis in combination with propensity score matching. Results from the empirical analysis support the hypotheses. It is concluded that labour market policy should be based not only on the assumption of economically rational behaviour, if labour market programmes are to be effective.     

Information technology and employment law: Challenges in an evolving workplace

Conclusion Clearly, all of these changes represent a significant change in the current context of employment law; however, in a work context in which traditional roles and working relationships have radically evolved, it is difficult to see the value of continuing to enforce an employment law policy on the basis of distinctions long-passed from the organizational landscape. Equally clearly, there will be a difference of opinion among the parties to employment law as to the imperative for change. Employers will generally see their interests in the perpetuation of the status quo; while it may not be optimal, it is predictable and they have learned to live with it. Employees on the other hand, should see a clear mandate for changes that would solidify the protections of employment law for them in a rapidly changing organizational context.     

The effect of ambient threats to employment on low birthweight.

The hypothesis that ambient threats to employment security are associated with increased rates of low birthweight is tested in two sites. The first test uses interrupted time-series methods to measure the association between a threatened reduction in the number of state workers and the incidence of low birthweight in Sacramento, California. The second test is of the association between unexpectedly low employment and low birthweight in Los Angeles, California. Both tests suggest that White males without Spanish surnames and Spanish-surnamed males are at elevated risk of low birthweight when the community is faced with a perceived threat to employment security. The implications of the findings for economic regulation and the provision of services are discussed.     

加强学校就业指导教研室建设的思考

新形势下进一步加强就业教研室建设，是学校教育和人才培养的任务所决定的。笔者认为，加强就业教研室建设是提升就业质量水平的重要基础、促进就业教学改革的重要阵地、增强就业理论研究的重要平台、提高就业教学师资水平的重要保证。因此，学校应该将教研室建设作为就业体系的基础性工作来抓，深化就业服务，提高就业质量。     

The problem of unemployment amongst refugees in Europe

Refugees, asylum seekers, 'de facto' refugees, and refugees in irregular situations have become a constant phenomenon of the social reality of the member states of the European Community. All agencies must ensure that the situation of these people is as widely publicized as possible. The integration of refugees should be assisted as much as possible by employment schemes, social counseling, and psychological assistance. The European Community should deal with the increasing numbers of refugees who are suffering under long-term unemployment, inadequate housing, and poor language and vocational training facilities. The European Governments and the European Communities should consider giving priority to funding voluntary agencies for carrying out long-term assistance programs. The promotion of specific programs for refugees should be considered an urgent priority. Programs operated by the voluntary agencies should include information on 1) the social, economic, and legal structure of the host country; 2) employment and vocational policies and facilities; and 3) voluntary repatriation and resettlement programs. The voluntary agencies should be able to carry out their tasks by 1) giving individual, unbiased counseling to each refugee in need; 2) employing well-trained staff speaking the language of the group concerned; and 3) undertaking action-oriented research projects.     

Who performs better under time pressure? Results from a field experiment

We investigate whether and how time pressure affects performance. We conducted a field experiment in which students from an Italian University are proposed to choose between two exam schemes: a standard scheme without time pressure and an alternative scheme consisting of two written intermediate tests, one of which to be taken under time pressure. Students deciding to sustain the alternative exam are randomly assigned to a “time pressure” and a “no time pressure” group. Students performing under time pressure at the first test perform in absence of time pressure at the second test and vice versa. We find that being exposed to time pressure exerts a negative and statistically significant impact on students’ performance. The effect is driven by a strong negative impact on females’ performance, while there is no statistically significant effect on males. Both the quantity and quality of females’ work is hampered by time pressure. Using data on students’ expectations, we also find that the effect produced by time pressure on performance was correctly perceived by students. Female students expect a lower grade when working under time pressure, while males do not. These findings contribute to explain why women tend to shy away from jobs and careers involving time pressure.     

Women's Housework: New Tests of Time and Money

The author uses variation by the day of week—comparing weekdays to weekends—to reconsider three main explanations for variation in women's housework time. The author predicts that though evidence of gender deviance neutralization (GDN) should be evident across the days of the week, evidence of time constraints and absolute earnings should be most apparent on weekdays. The author tests these hypotheses with the largest sample to date (American Time Use Survey 2003–2012) and careful consideration of the functional form between resources/constraints and housework time. The author finds that all three measures of resources/constraints—relative earnings, absolute earnings, and employment hours—perform as poor predictors of women's housework on weekends. Weekends are when women, regardless of employment status, do gender, but not in the way hypothesized by GDN. On weekdays, women's own employment hours and earnings have negative, but diminishing, effects on their housework time. GDN is not supported.     

Sari and Jeans? Indian Women in a US Company: The Impact on Their Lifestyle,Social Role and Self-Perception

Arguing from the interface of Cultural Studies and Political Science, the following article investigates a specific effect of globalization in India: the impact of Indian women’s employment in a US company on their social role and self-perception. On the basis of comprehensive questionnaires and interviews, the study aims to assess possible socio-economic and cultural transformations by examining in detail the women’s work satisfaction, their responses to the influences of a foreign culture, the impact of their employment on their private lives as well as - in reverse - on the corporate culture of the company. The findings should not only be of interest to academics, but also of practical interest to economists and the business world.     

Reliability of work-related assessments

Insufficient evidence of the reliability of work-related assessments is a major concern in this area of practice. Despite this concern there has been ongoing development of new assessments, while existing assessments have been revised, modified and updated and others are no longer used or available. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to determine the extent and quality of evidence for the reliability of work-related assessments. STUDY DESIGN: This study examined available literature and sources in order to review the extent which reliability has been established for 28 work-related assessments. RESULTS: The levels of evidence and reliability are presented for each assessment. This indicates that a number of commercially available work-related assessments have insufficient evidence of reliability. For the limited number of work-related assessments with an adequate level of evidence on which to judge their reliability, most demonstrate a moderate to good level. Few assessments, however, have demonstrated levels of reliability sufficient for clinical (and legal) purposes. CONCLUSION: With this study clinicians will be able to examine their options with regard to the reliability of the assessments they choose to use. Interpretation of changes in test results can be considered in the light of the evidence for the reliability of the instrument used.     

The gallon-jug shelf-transfer test: an instrument to evaluate deteriorating function in older adults

This study examined the validity, reliability, and discriminatory capacity of the gallon-jug shelf-transfer (GJST) test. Six hundred fifty-three independent-living older adults (463 women age 72.9 +/- 7.0 years, 190 men age 74.3 +/- 6.7 years) participated. Participants moved five 1-gallon jugs (approximately 3.9 kg) from a knee-high to a shoulder-high shelf as quickly as possible. The GJST showed an exponential performance decline with age, and there were significant correlations between the GJST and common functional tests (p<.001). High within-day and between-days reliability was detected. The test also detected differences resulting from training status (p<.01) and training protocols (p<.05). The GJST is a valid, reliable, inexpensive, safe, and easily administered clinical test for identifying physically vulnerable elders who could benefit from interventions such as exercise to improve their physical capacities and maintain independence.     

Do values explain the low employment levels of Muslim women around the world? A within‐ and between‐country analysis

Using worldwide data from the World Values Survey (WVS) gathered in 2010–2014, we examine two distinct ways in which Islam may be associated with women's employment. We show that, within their countries, Muslim women are less likely to be employed than women of other religions. We also examine between‐country differences and find that, net of education and family statuses, the employment levels of women living in countries that are 90–100 per cent Muslim are not significantly different than those living in countries that are only 0–20 per cent Muslim. Then we test a prevailing view: that Islam discourages gender egalitarian values, and that these values – held by women themselves or people around them – explain why Muslim women are less likely to be employed than women of other religions within their own countries. Despite the rich measures of values in the WVS and a large sample, we find no evidence that values explain any of the lower employment of Muslim women, mainly because values have little or no effect on women's employment. Thus, we conclude that most of the world's gap in employment between Muslim women and other women is within‐country and is not explained by gender ideology. Future research should examine alternative hypotheses, including ethno‐religious discrimination.     

The law of migrants

While it is acknowledged that international migration law is attracting increased interest, this law merely describes the conditions of admission, sojourn, employment, and exit of migrants, thus amounting in many respects to a restatement of the law of aliens considered in a different perspective. This article concentrates on the humanitarian aspects of migration law, in an attempt to determine the possibility of joint promotion and dissemination of human rights, international humanitarian law, refugee law, law of migrants, and relief law. Refugees are protected by a series of international legal instruments, both universal and regional, which are complemented, if need be, by resolutions of the competent bodies. 2 reasons why the law of migrants deserves to be highlighted and developed are: 1) we have seen that the characteristic aspects of migration are either ignored or only partially taken into account by existing law, and 2) it is important that individuals should be protected in every circumstance. There exists a relatively narrow basis for joint action; since this must be built on points of convergence, a preliminary step consists of identifying this common denominator. The forms which joint action may take can be less structured and reflected in the individual practice of each organization The sine qua non of successful joint action is an awareness of the enterprise's ultimate goal: to assure in every circumstance better protection for human beings, whatever their legal status may be.     

家庭社会资本对大学生农村就业意愿的影响

家庭是影响大学生农村就业的一个重要因素,因而家庭社会资本与大学生农村就业行为有密切的关系。家庭社会资本对大学生去农村的就业意愿、最低工资价位和职业选择的影响显著。母亲的受教育程度、家庭年收入越高,大学生去农村的就业意愿越高,大学生去农村的最低心理工资价位越高;父母的受教育程度越高,大学生去农村更愿意选择从政。     

Performance and ideology in speaking tests for adult migrants

Language learning linked to migration is an important issue in many contemporary societies. This article discusses how adult migrants following a L2 Swedish course express beliefs on competence, language learning and language use during a test event. The theoretical framework is based on performance theory and the Bakhtinian notion of addressivity. Drawing on an interactional analysis of 27 video‐recorded paired speaking tests (a candidate‐candidate discussion) in the final national exam in an L2 Swedish course for adult migrants, the article discusses how the speaking tests could be interpreted as institutionalized staged performance. It is argued here that institutional performance puts ideologies on display. Stance‐taking, interactional alignment and an orientation to dominant discourses on monolingualism and integration become important resources for keeping the discussion going in front of the examiners. Finally, the study argues that the view of speaking tests as performance provides a deeper understanding of the complexity of language use in test settings.     

Women in Procrustean Beds: Strength Testing and the Workplace

Pre-employment strength testing in its present form supports employment practices which exclude women from manual handling tasks traditionally assigned to men. However, several lines of reasoning lead us to think that pre-employment testing is a Procrustean bed which imposes unreasonable requirements on most women. Examination of some tests and their scientific underpinnings leads us to conclude that they may result in discrimination. Women often approach manual tasks in ways different from men, so that pre-employment tests developed around the ways men usually perform these tasks are poor predictors of women’s performance at real-life jobs. We also question the fact that pre-employment testing involves the types of requirements imposed in men’s traditional work, but not women’s. This perspective leads us to propose a less rigid notion of physical strength and to introduce the concept of human-task interaction. Representations of human capacity based on sexual stereotypes may conceal health and safety problems in job requirements which should be addressed directly, leading to more constructive propositions regarding job design and employee selection. We propose that standards be set for job requirements, such that all manual handling jobs become physically accessible to at least 75% of all workers.     

The Effect of the Minimum Wage on Covered Teenage Employment

Unlike previous studies on the minimum wage, which focused on its effect on total teenage employment, we examine its effect on covered employment. A covered job was defined to be one paying the minimum wage or more. Using contemporary wages to classify workers this way may inflate the estimated effect of minimum wages on covered employment. To avoid this bias, covered jobs are identified using a logit procedure run over years in which the minimum age was not increased. We find that minimum wages reduced covered employment significantly more than total employment. We also show that covered employment may be overstated in the period following an increase in the minimum wage.     

Self-reported mobility and instrumental activities of daily living: test-retest reliability and criterion validity

To determine the test-retest reliability and criterion validity of self-reported function in mobility and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) in older adults, a convenience sample of 70 subjects (72.9 ± 6.6 yr, 34 male) was split into able and disabled groups based on baseline assessment and into consistently able, consistently disabled, and inconsistent based on repeat assessments over 2 weeks. The criterion validities of the self-reported measures of mobility domain and IADL-physical subdomain were assessed with concurrent baseline measures of 4 mobility performances, and that of the self-reported measure of IADL-cognitive subdomain, with the Mini-Mental State Examination. Test-retest reliability was moderate for the mobility, IADL-physical, and IADL-cognitive subdomains (κ = .51-.66). Those who reported being able at baseline also performed better on physical- and cognitive-performance tests. Those with variable performance between test occasions tended to report inconsistently on repeat measures in mobility and IADL-cognitive, suggesting fluctuations in physical and cognitive performance.     

The Responsible Use of Psychological Testing in Child Custody Evaluations: Selection of Tests

SUMMARY

The responsible use of psychological tests in child custody evaluations requires an advanced understanding of both psychological issues of test selection and legal criteria regarding admissibility of expert testimony. This paper discusses the psychological and legal issues associated with test selection and with admissibility of expert testimony pertaining to psychological test data. It is argued that the legal standards of relevance and helpfulness require the methodology underlying an expert's testimony to be both reliable and valid. Therefore, it is essential to select psychological tests with demonstrated reliability and validity. Case law regarding expert testimony and the integration of professional practice guidelines pertaining to the use of psychological tests with ethical standards will be discussed.