Saving public pensions: Labor migration effects on pension systems in European countries

European countries have experienced population aging and consequent pressure on public pensions. Some European countries, therefore, have welcomed migrants, expecting that the inflow of people will ease the demographic and fiscal problems. It is important to ask if this policy approach has had the intended effects. This paper examines the effects of labor migration on public pension systems. Using error correction models (ECMs) with cross-country time-series data on European countries from 1981 to 2009, this analysis demonstrates that labor migration has deterred the reduction of public pension benefit levels and government expenditure on pension as well as the expansion of private pensions. This implies that labor migration eases the pressure on public pension systems. Migration contributory effects have been larger in countries with Bismarckian pension systems because those countries have experienced greater pressure on public pension systems than other countries.     

Referrals and information flow in networks increase discrimination: A laboratory experiment

Referrals and information flow distort market mechanisms of hiring in the labor market, but they might assist employers under asymmetric information in finding better alternatives. This paper investigates whether an impartial information flow between employers in a cyclic network structure could generate more discrimination than when no information is exchanged between employers. We set up an artificial labor market in which there was no average quality difference between two categories of workers. We asked participants to play the role of employers and examined the partiality of their hiring choices. Results showed that discrimination was prevalent in all conditions. Higher standards by the employers for the quality of workers increased discrimination as did the presence of referrals from workers. Unexpectedly, impartial information flow in a cyclic network of employers did not help to decrease discrimination. We also showed that these mechanisms interact with and subdue each other in complex ways.     

The relationship between birthing related factors and maternal breastfeeding confidence in China

ProblemThe relationship between birthing related factors and breastfeeding confidence remain unknown among Chinese mothers.BackgroundBreastfeeding confidence in the early postpartum period is an important predictor of breastfeeding duration. There are many postpartum and socio-demographic factors that have been linked to breastfeeding confidence. However, the relationship between birthing related factors and this confidence remain unknown.AimTo explore the relationship between birthing related factors and breastfeeding confidence among Chinese mothers.MethodsThis is a cross-sectional study of 450 mothers who were recruited after birth and before discharge from hospital. From November 2018 to March 2019, we collected data related to socio-demographics and obstetric characteristics, as well as the Chinese version of Breastfeeding Self-Efficacy Scale and the Chinese version of Labor Agentry Scale. Associations of birthing related factors with breastfeeding self-efficacy were investigated.ResultsThere was a significant correlation between perception of control during labor and breastfeeding confidence. Multiple linear regression showed that higher perception of control in labor scores were significantly associated with higher breastfeeding self-efficacy scores (B = 0.282, P = <0.001), and lower breastfeeding self-efficacy scores were associated with women living in an extended family (B = −12.622, P = <0.001), perceived of insufficient milk supply (B = −5.514, P = 0.038), mild fatigue (B = −8.021, P = 0.03), moderate fatigue (B = −12.955, P = 0.004).ConclusionThere is a significant relationship between perception of control during labor and maternal breastfeeding confidence in the early postpartum period. Strengthening perception of control during labor can improve breastfeeding self-efficacy. Providing professional and emotional support for women during the intrapartum period should be strengthened.     

我国农民增收问题探析

“三农”问题的核心是农民问题 ,而农民问题的核心是农民的收入增长问题。论文分析了影响农民增收的制约因素 ,并重点探讨了农民增收的途径 (对策建议 ) :农村剩余劳动力转移 ;增加农村教育投资 ;精简农村政权组织 ;改革农村土地制度 ;调整农业产业结构     

Depression Treatment and Cost Offset for Rural Community Residents with Depression

ABSTRACT

This study examined the relationship between costs of treating physical problems and costs of treating depression, for 322 rural residents with depression. Multiple regressions were used to control for sociodemographics, depression severity, and physical and mental health comorbidities at baseline. The results indicated a $1.42 (n = 322) reduction in the costs of treating physical problems for a $1.00 increase in the costs of treating depression. The reduction was $2.61 (p < 0.05) among those receiving depression treatment (n = 125). These findings suggest a net savings from depression treatment, in addition to other benefits such as improved symptoms and functioning and increased productivity.     

刍议劳动关系中劳务派遣与劳务外包的替代性

劳务派遣是市场经济发展的结果,满足了企业用工方式多样化、降低用工成本和提高用工效率的要求,有利于促进社会就业。劳务外包是专业化分工深化的结果,为越来越多的企业采用。文章从三个方面比较了劳务派遣和劳务外包,认为劳务外包对劳务派遣具有一定的替代性,但劳务外包的两个主体--发包企业和承包企业仍可能采用劳务派遣的用工方式。劳务派遣和劳务外包的发展并不改变我国以劳动合同制为主的用工方式。     

应届大学毕业生的劳动力市场中介使用研究

通过发放问卷对应届毕业生进行抽样调查来研究大学毕业生在劳动市场中介使用上的一些特征以及劳动市场中介的使用对就业情况的影响。研究结果表明,大学生这一群体最青睐的劳动市场中介是公共信息网站和校园招聘会。在这一群体之内,入学前的户口性质和毕业时的学历程度与大学生通过哪种劳动市场中介成功找到工作是显著相关的。通过不同劳动市场中介就业的人可能会进入不同性质的单位、不同的行业和不同的职位,但工资水平未必会受到影响。     

劳动契约的历史追溯与概念界定

对劳动契约的历史追溯表明,劳动契约的产生既确立了劳动者从＂身份到契约＂转变的主体地位,又确立了政府对劳动者的＂从契约到身份＂倾斜保护的义务。因而劳动契约是一个包括劳动基准契约与劳动约定契约的契约体系,其主体涉及劳方、资方及政府三方主体,其内容包括在劳动契约的缔结、履行和终止过程中而发生的劳方与资方、劳方与政府、资方与政府的各种权利义务关系。     

劳动力流动、经济增长与城乡收入差距——基于1993—2007年重新估算的面板数据

城乡分组变化会在其他因素不变的情况下扩大城乡收入差距。本文利用控制分组不变的测算数据对城乡收入差距的影响因素进行了再检验,并比较与统计值的差异。结果显示:经济增长扩大了城乡收入差距,但在最近一个时期对估算值的影响有所改善;劳动力流动的确降低了原有分组下的城乡收入不平等,居民身份转换是统计上城乡收入差距扩大的主要原因;农村劳动力外出务工和劳动力地区间流动对两类收入差距指标都起到部分缩小作用;投资对城乡收入差距产生了不利影响,经济开放、所有制结构、支农支出和教育等从不同程度上缓解了原有分组下的城乡收入不平等;一些应当缩小城乡收入差距的因素(如财政支出、科教文卫支出、基础设施建设等)对两类指标都未能发挥积极作用。