The American workforce and the role of employee benefits have changed dramatically since the 1980s when economists seriously considered dual labour market models to describe pay and employment patterns. Then, dual labour market models described men's labour markets, but not women's and the tests...

Why are pension funds so large and benefits so small? This examination of the 120-year-old American system of privatized social insurance--often called, at 1.7 trillion dollars, the biggest lump of money in the world--reveals that the system fails to provide adequate retirement income security,...

Through their pension funds, workers own, but do not control, most of the finance capital in the United States. Since 1978 the U.S. labor movement's defensive and offensive pension strategies have bolstered union bargaining power and provided funds to profitable and union-only construction...

This study updates what we know about the Great Recession’s impact on older unemployed Americans’ health and pre-retirement life by focusing on their wealth and income sources, health insurance access, poverty rates, unemployment duration, labor force drop-out rates, and Social Security...

Workplace retirement plans (DC and DBs) help workers save for retirement conveniently, consistently, and automatically. But retirement account offer rates are steadily declining. Between 2001-2003 and 2010-2012, the retirement plan offer rate dropped from 63% to 55%. The drop is driven by a...

As this report was being prepared in the summer of 2011, America’s institutional investors continued to face significant regulatory uncertainties as policy makers – including the National Commission on Fiscal Responsibility and Reform and Vice President Biden’s Middle Class Task Force –...

This study assesses the role of Social Security (OASI) and Social Security Disability Insurance, 401(k) plans, unemployment insurance, Medicare, and the federal income tax system in moderating the business cycle in the United States. Using Instrumental Variable (IV) estimation, we demonstrate...

As traditional pensions, or defined benefit (DB) plans, are replaced by defined contribution plans (DC), workers in New York City and in the nation have less retirement security. Coverage rates for employer plans are falling. Most DC retirement accounts are in the form of 401(k)-type plans -...