Wage inequality does not fully capture differences in job quality. Jobs also differ along other key dimensions, including the prevalence of labor rights violations. We construct novel measures of labor violation rates using data from federal agencies. Within local industries over time, a 10%...

This study examines how organized labor affects selling, general, and administrative (SG&A) cost behavior. We find that labor cost stickiness is higher for firms facing stronger unions, but the stickiness of SG&A costs is lower. This is consistent with an argument that managers’ discretionary...

This paper estimates the effect of labor-market concentration on labor compensation across the U.S. private sector since 2000. We distinguish between concentration in local labor markets versus local product markets, guarding against bias from confounded product-market concentration. Analysis...

This study examines how organized labor affects selling, general, and administrative (SG&A) cost behavior. Human capital is emerging as firms’ most valuable asset, and we further the understanding of the interaction between employees and SG&A cost behavior. We predict and find that labor cost...

Wage inequality does not fully capture differences in job quality. Jobs also differ along other key dimensions, including the prevalence of labor rights violations. We construct novel measures of labor violation rates using data from federal agencies. Within local industries over time, a 10%...

Wage inequality does not fully capture differences in job quality. Jobs also differ along other key dimensions, including the prevalence of labor rights violations. We construct novel measures of labor violation rates using data from federal agencies. Within local industries over time, a 10%...

Wage inequality does not fully capture differences in job quality. Jobs also differ along other key dimensions, including the prevalence of labor-rights violations. Yet, there is little systematic evidence on this non-wage dimension of job quality and how it contributes to overall inequality. We...