Council for Employment, Income and Social Cohesion - Paris
Conseil de l'emploi, des revenus et de la cohésion sociale - CERC[version française]
"Online Information Service dealing with poverty, social minima, inwork benefits, minimum wages, etc. Working papers and articles from several countries (France, Germany, UK, USA, etc.), published by think tanks, public institutions, etc. dealing with these issues are available online. You will also find on this website our Information Service Bulletin which is a selection of recent articles in relation with our field of expertise (Employment, Income, Social cohesion, etc.). The website is regularly updated and the bulletin published twice a month. (...) The CERC is to contribute to the knowledge on income, social inequalities and links between employment, income and social cohesion. It is also up to the CERC to draw up appraisals about social inequalities and redistribution mechanisms as well as to draw the government's attention and the public opinion to desirable changes and evolutions."

NOTE: This body was created by a decree of the French government in April 2000 to aid the national policy-making process. In Canada, the National Council of Welfare was created by an Act of Parliament in 1969 to advise the federal Minister of Health and Welfare (now Social Development Canada) on matters relating to the welfare of Canadians.

Bulletins/Reports/Studies/Working papers - Click on the links in the left margin of the CERC website home page for links to a large collection of online resources including a semi-monthly research bulletin
Register - To be informed of CERC activities and to receive the bulletin

TIP: If you haven't visited the CERC website yet and you'd like a good flavour of what you'll find there, I'd highly recommend that you peruse a few recent issues of the Bulletin (which is available free by subscription), then select one of the Topics (Poverty - Social minima - In-work benefits - Minimum wage - Unemployment and return to work ). On the next page, click the links in the right hand margin to access the reports. Most of the reports are in French, but there are thousands of titles (1500 under Poverty alone), and you'll find enough in English to make it worth a visit...
SUB-TIP: many of the studies that appear in the CERC bulletin include Canada and the U.S. in their international comparisons of social policies and social programs - very interesting analysis!

Selected content from CERC Bulletins:

NOTE : all of the links below were selected from past issues of the semi-monthly CERC Bulletin.
[Check the complete content of each past issue of the CERC Bulletin]

. Gender equality (PDF file - 543K, 28 pages), U.N. International Poverty Centre, Brasilia, January 2008 (International data)

. Working out of poverty : A study of the low-paid and the "working poor" (PDF file - 896K, 65 pages) - (United Kingdom), G. Cooke and K. Lawton, Institute for Public Policy Research, London, January 2008

. The economic security of older women and men in the United States (PDF file - 969K, 8 pages), T. Finkle, H. Hartmann, and S. Lee, Institute for Women's Policy Research, Washington, December 2007

. (U.S.) Consumption and income poverty for those 65 and over, (PDF file, 31 pages) B. D. Meyer and J. X. Sullivan, Harris School, Chicago, Working paper, n° 07-21, September (2007).
Summary:
This paper examines income and consumption based measures of poverty for those 65 and over between 1972 and 2004. This study contributes to the existing literature on poverty in several ways. First, we construct consumption based measures of poverty that improve upon measures used in previous studies.(...) Second, we provide estimates of consumption based poverty for those 65 and over using the most recent data through 2004. Third, we examine the effect on poverty trends of alternative price indices, equivalence scales, and resource sharing units (the family or household). Fourth, in addition to poverty rates, which focus on the cumulative distribution function at a single point, we also study extreme poverty, near poverty and poverty gaps in order to examine more fully the trends in well-being of older individuals.

. (U.K.) Measuring poverty in Britain as a multi-dimensional concept : 1991 to 2003, (PDF file, 32 pages), M. Tomlinson, R. Walker and G. Williams, Department of Social Policy and Social Work, Oxford (2007).
Summary:
While poverty is widely accepted to be an inherently multi-dimensional concept, it has proved very difficult to develop measures that both capture this multi-dimensionality and facilitate comparison of trends over time. Structural Equation Modelling appears to offer a solution to this conundrum and is used to exploit the British Household Panel Study to create a multidimensional measure of poverty. The analysis reveals that the decline in poverty in Britain between 1991 and 2003 was driven by falls in material deprivation, but more especially by reduced financial stress particularly during the early 1990s. The limitations and potential of the new approach are critically discussed

. (U.S.) A profile of the working poor : 2005, (PDF file, 14 pages), Bureau of Labor Statistics, Washington, Report, n°1001 (2007)

. (France) Services for the homeless in France : Description, official statistics, client recording of information, A report for the European Commission, (PDF file, 94 pages), M. Marpsat, Ined, Paris, Documents de travail, n° 149 (2007).

. (Europe) Approaches to flexicurity : EU models,(PDF file, 85 pages), P. Kaia and R. Eamets, European Foundation for the Improvement of Living and Working Conditions, Dublin (2007).

. (Sweden) Strategic competition in Swedish local spending on childcare, schooling and care for the elderly, (K. Edmark, Institute for Labour Market Policy Evaluation, Stockholm, IFAU working paper, n° 2007-22, October, 43 p., (2007).
Summary:

Minimum wage - updated October 29, 2007
- links (in the right-hand margin) to 300 documents (statistics, working papers, reports) and websites
- incl. links to resources under the following headings:
* Legislation and implementation * Facts and figures * Minimum wage and employment * Minimum wage and wage formation * Minimum wage and living standard * Discussion * Recommended websites
(includes links to Canadian resources)

United Kingdom:
. Chicken and egg :
Child poverty and educational inequalities (PDF file - 264K, 24 pages)
By D. Hirsch, Child Poverty Action Group (CPPAG), London, September 2007

. Disability and caring among families with children :
Family employment and poverty characteristics (PDF file - 953K, 72 pages)
By S. McKay and A. Atkinson, Department for Work and Pensions, London, 2007

United States
. Improving the refundable child tax credit :
An important step toward reducing child poverty (PDF file - 80K, 5 pages)
By A. Aron-Dine, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, Washington, October 2007

Europe
. Light year : Hard work ! Assessing the impact of poverty (PDF file - 292K, 85 pages)
By European Anti Poverty Network (EAPN), Bruxelles, October 2007

OECD countries
. Change, choice and cash in social care policies : Some lessons from comparing childcare and elder care, (PDF file - 119K, 20 pages)
By S. Himmelweit and H. Land, Espanet conference (Vienna, 20-22 September 2007)

CERC Information Service bulletin n°135
September 3, 2007
Click the link above to access the articles and reports listed below - and many more...
* (U.S.) Concentrated poverty : Dynamics of change, G. T. Kingsley and K. L. S. Pettit, The Urban Institute, Washington, Neighborhood change in urban America, n° 5, August, 16 p., (2007).
* The dynamics and persistence of poverty : evidence from Italy, F. Devicienti and V. Gualtieri, Laboratorio R. Revelli, Moncalieri, Working paper, n° 63, August, 47 p., (2007).
* Income, poverty and health insurance coverage in the United States : 2006, C. DeNavas, B. D. Proctor and J. Smith, Census Bureau, Washington, August, 78 p., (2007).
* The evolution of inequality in productivity and wages : Panel data evidence, G. Faggio, K. G. Salvanes and J. Van Reenen, Centre for Economic Performance, London, CEP discussion paper, n° 0821, August, 66 p., (2007).
* Rescaling social welfare policies in Denmark : national report, C. Thorgaard and H. Vinther, The Danish National Centre for Social Research, Copenhagen, Working paper, n° 10, August, 58 p., (2007).

Of special interest to welfare reform researchers:

* Welfare reforms and child well-being in the US and UK, (PDF file - 164K, 61 pages), J. Waldfogel, Centre for Analysis of Social Exclusion, London, CASE/126, July, 31 p., (2007).
Summary : This paper examines the effects of recent welfare reforms in the US and UK on the well-being of children in low-income families, looking specifically at the effects on poverty, family expenditures, and child health and development. The paper finds some commonalities but also some notable differences. Common to both countries is a sizable reduction in child poverty, although the reduction in child poverty in the US has been less, and some families appear to have been left behind. Expenditure data also point to divergence across the two countries. In the UK, low-income families affected by the reforms are spending more money on items related to children and are more likely to own a car and a phone, while in the US, families affected by welfare reforms are primarily spending more money on items related to employment but not items for children. Finally, a common finding across countries is a relative dearth of more direct evidence on the well-being of children, and specifically how the reforms have affected child health and development. Identifying such effects remains an important topic for further research.

U.S.
The changing face of welfare during the Bush administration, (PDF file - 246K, 30 pages)
June 2007
S. W. Allard
National Poverty Center, Ann Arbor, NPC working paper series, n° 07-18
Summary:
Most scholars of American social policy do not associate significant change in welfare policy with the presidential administration of George W. Bush. No major welfare policy initiatives were passed during the first term of the Bush residency. Welfare cash assistance caseloads have remained fairly constant since 2001. Block grant funding for state welfare programs has remained at $16.5 billion annually. The poverty rate has increased from 11.3 percent in 2000 to 12.6 percent in 2005, but the number of persons in poverty remains below the historic highs of the early 1990s (U.S. Census Bureau 2006b). Compared to the War on Terror, tax cuts, budget deficits, and Medicare drug coverage, welfare and poverty simply have not been prominent issues in the minds of the public or many policymakers.

Income inequality, poverty and social spending in Japan, (PDF file - 400K, 41 pages)
June 2007
R. S. Jones
OECD, Paris, Economics department working papers, n° 556
Summary: Income inequality and relative poverty among the working-age population in Japan have risen to levels above the OECD average. This trend is partially explained by labour market dualism, with an increasing proportion of non-regular workers who are paid significantly less than regular workers, as well as by other factors, including the ageing of the workforce. Social spending as a share of GDP has been expanding in the context of population ageing, although it remains below the OECD average and the proportion received by low-income households is small. Consequently, the impact of social spending on inequality and poverty is weak compared to other OECD countries and inadequate to offset the deterioration in market income. The scope for increasing social spending is constrained by the fiscal situation. Instead, reversing the upward trend in inequality and poverty requires reforms to reduce labour market dualism and better target social spending on low-income households, particularly single parents.

A review of poverty dynamics research in the UK (PDF file - K, 122 pages)
June 2007
N. Smith and S. Middleton
Joseph Rowntree Foundation, London

Severe child poverty in the UK (PDF file - K, 58 pages)
2007
M. Magadi and S. Middleton
Save the Children, London

U.S.
Framework for a new safety net for low-income working families (PDF file - K, 56 pages)
O. Golden and alii,
June 2007
The Urban Institute, Washington, Low-income working families, paper n° 7

CERC "Means-tested benefits website" updated - June 14, 2007
The topic “Means-tested benefits” has been restructured.
- new headings have been added
- an introduction to the main means-tested benefits (France, European countries, United States, Canada)
- a statistical portal
- updated recommended websites
(Approximately 600 documents are online.)

The challenge of inequality (PDF file - 803K, 28 pages), multiple authors, UN International Poverty Centre, Brasilia, Poverty in Focus,
June 2007
Geographical area : International data (incl. Canada)

Does vulnerability create poverty traps? (PDF file - 325K, 22 pages), A. Barrientos, Chronic Poverty Research Centre, Manchester, CPRC working paper, n° 76,
May 2007
Summary : The paper discusses whether vulnerability generates poverty traps. It contains a review of models of poverty traps and a discussion of whether these can accommodate vulnerability; it also includes a discussion of the empirical evidence available in support of these models and a discussion of their policy implications. The conclusions of this study delineate an important area of research, to which the CPRC is in a position to make a significant contribution. A clearer perspective on how to approach the linkages between vulnerability and persistent poverty, and a stronger, and comparative, body of evidence are needed to make the case that risk and vulnerability are significant factors behind poverty traps. The research planned under the Insecurity, Risk and Vulnerability theme of the CPRC will aim to develop a conceptual framework for examining the links between insecurity and vulnerability on the one hand and chronic poverty on the other. Special attention will be given to developing research in two areas: household dynamics and informality. The effectiveness of policy options will be assessed.
Geographical area : None

Is the "real" US unemployment rate 13 percent ? (PDF file - K, 7 pages), J. Schmitt, Center for Economic and Policy Research, Washington, Issue brief
June 2007
(Apples and oranges - it's all how you define it...)
Geographical area : United States, Sweden

The European welfare state : Golden achievements, silver prospects, (PDF file - 463K, 26 pages), M. Ferrera, URGE (Research Unit on European Governance), Moncalieri, URGE working paper n° 4, 2007 (posted June 6 2007)
Geographical area : Europe

Families with children in Britain : Findings from the 2005 families and children study (FACS), (PDF file - 1.2MB, 492 pages), L. Hoxhallari, A. Conolly and N. Lyon, Department for Work and Pensions, London, Research report, n° 424
May 2007
Summary : The 2005 Families and Children Study (FACS) is the seventh in a series of annual surveys, which investigate the circumstances of British families with dependent children. This report presents descriptive findings, and is divided into a number of chapters, each of which looks at distinct features of family life. The first part of the report focuses on the circumstances, lives and conditions of families, and topics covered include: family characteristics, health, education, work, income, benefits and tax credits, social capital and material deprivation. The second part of the report focuses on the circumstances, conditions and lives of children, and topics covered include: child CERC

The challenge of inequality (PDF file - 803K, 28 pages), multiple authors, UN International Poverty Centre, Brasilia, Poverty in Focus,
June 2007
Geographical area : International data (incl. Canada)

Does vulnerability create poverty traps? (PDF file - 325K, 22 pages), A. Barrientos, Chronic Poverty Research Centre, Manchester, CPRC working paper, n° 76,
May 2007
Summary : The paper discusses whether vulnerability generates poverty traps. It contains a review of models of poverty traps and a discussion of whether these can accommodate vulnerability; it also includes a discussion of the empirical evidence available in support of these models and a discussion of their policy implications. The conclusions of this study delineate an important area of research, to which the CPRC is in a position to make a significant contribution. A clearer perspective on how to approach the linkages between vulnerability and persistent poverty, and a stronger, and comparative, body of evidence are needed to make the case that risk and vulnerability are significant factors behind poverty traps. The research planned under the Insecurity, Risk and Vulnerability theme of the CPRC will aim to develop a conceptual framework for examining the links between insecurity and vulnerability on the one hand and chronic poverty on the other. Special attention will be given to developing research in two areas: household dynamics and informality. The effectiveness of policy options will be assessed.
Geographical area : None

Is the "real" US unemployment rate 13 percent ? (PDF file - K, 7 pages), J. Schmitt, Center for Economic and Policy Research, Washington, Issue brief
June 2007
(Apples and oranges - it's all how you define it...)
Geographical area : United States, Sweden

The European welfare state : Golden achievements, silver prospects, (PDF file - 463K, 26 pages), M. Ferrera, URGE (Research Unit on European Governance), Moncalieri, URGE working paper n° 4, 2007 (posted June 6 2007)
Geographical area : Europe

Families with children in Britain : Findings from the 2005 families and children study (FACS), (PDF file - 1.2MB, 492 pages), L. Hoxhallari, A. Conolly and N. Lyon, Department for Work and Pensions, London, Research report, n° 424
May 2007
Summary : The 2005 Families and Children Study (FACS) is the seventh in a series of annual surveys, which investigate the circumstances of British families with dependent children. This report presents descriptive findings, and is divided into a number of chapters, each of which looks at distinct features of family life. The first part of the report focuses on the circumstances, lives and conditions of families, and topics covered include: family characteristics, health, education, work, income, benefits and tax credits, social capital and material deprivation. The second part of the report focuses on the circumstances, conditions and lives of children, and topics covered include: child characteristics, health, schooling, children’s activities, and childcare.

[US] A comparison of poverty trends and policy impacts for working families using different poverty indexes (PDF file - 866K, 38 pages)
By R. H. DeFina, Federal Reserve Bank of Philadelphia
April 2007
[Abstract] This study provides empirical evidence on recent trends in poverty among working families based on the headcount rate and a broader alternative that incorporates the headcount rate, the depth of poverty, and income inequality among the poor. Estimates reveal that the indexes produce significantly different trends. The headcount rate indicates a reduction in overall working poverty for the sample period, while the alternative index showed no statistically significant change. The same result was found for various population subgroups. Decompositions of the index changes show that tax changes contributed to lower values for both the headcount rate and the alternative index, largely due to recent expansions of the earned income tax credit. Changes in transfer payments added to measured poverty, mirroring the retrenchment of welfare and other transfer programs. Shifts in market-based income decreased both indexes.

The economic costs of poverty in the United States : Subsequent effects of children growing up poor (PDF file - 237K, 32 pages)
By H. J. Holzer, Institute for Research on Poverty
April 2007
[Abstract] In this paper, we review a range of rigorous research studies that estimate the average statistical relationships between children growing up in poverty and their earnings, propensity to commit crime, and quality of health later in life. We also review estimates of the costs that crime and poor health per person impose on the economy. Then we aggregate all of these average costs per poor child across the total number of children growing up in poverty in the U.S. to estimate the aggregate costs of child poverty to the U.S. economy. Our results suggest that the costs to the U.S. associated with childhood poverty total about $500 billion per year, or the equivalent of nearly 4 percent of GDP.

Ending child poverty within the European Union ? A review of the
2006-2008 national reports on strategies for social protection and social inclusion (PDF file - 4.2MB, 91 pages)
From Eurochild (Brussels)
January 2007
[Excerpt]The fight against child poverty and social exclusion is at the core of Eurochild’s work programme. A key element of this is the monitoring of the National Action Plans on Social Inclusion (NAPs/Incl) from a children’s rights perspective. This report is a synthesis of the country analyses produced by NGOs and national experts of Member States’ national action plans for social inclusion.

Extended measures of well-being : Living conditions in the United States, 2003 - April 2007 (PDF file - 486K, 20 pages), A. L. Rogers and C. L. Ryan, Census Bureau, Washington, Current population reports, n° P70-110

Measurement of homelessness at European Union level - January 2007 (PDF file - 3.3MB, 347 pages), European Commission, Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities, Brussels

Gender and career development : A comparative study (Europe) - March 2007 , EIROnline.

How well off are America's elderly : A new perspective (U.S.) - April 2007 (PDF file - 2.9MB, 19 pages), E. N. Wolff, A. Zacharias and H. Kum, The Levy Economics Institute of Bard College.

The redistributive design of social security systems (OECD countries) - March 2007 (PDF file - 2.9MB, 50 pages) J. I. Conde-Ruiz and P. Profeta, FEDEA, Madrid, Documento de trabajo, n° 2007-07
Summary : Countries with low intragenerational redistribution in social security systems (Bismarckian) are associated with larger public pension expenditures, a smaller fraction of private pension and lower income inequality than countries with more redistributive social security (Beveridgean). This paper introduces a bidimensional voting model to account for these features.

. On the definition and measurement of chronic poverty (PDF file - 181K, 23 pages), R. Aaberge and M. Mogstad, Institute for the Study of Labor, Bonn, IZA discussion paper, n° 2659, March 2007.
Summary :
As an alternative to the conventional methods for measuring chronic poverty, this paper proposes an interpersonal comparable measure of permanent income as a basis for defining and measuring chronic poverty. This approach accounts for the fact that individuals regularly undertake inter-period income transfers. Moreover, the approach allows for individual-specific interest rates on borrowing and saving as well as for the presence of liquidity constraints. Due to the general nature the proposed method proves useful for evaluating the theoretical basis of the standard methods for measuring chronic poverty.

. Focus on poverty in the EU agenda" (PDF file - 3.9MB, 12 pages) in Jan-March 2007 Network News, the newsletter of the European Anti-Poverty Network, Brussels

. The redistributive effects of pension systems in Europe : a survey of evidence,(PDF file - 120K, 18 pages) M. Lefèbvre, Luxembourg Income Study, Luxembourg, LIS working paper, n° 457, March 2007.
Summary :
Pension systems differ across European countries according to various characteristics. But every one operates some redistribution within cohort. This paper analyses the comparative intragenerational redistributive performances of public pension transfers using data from the Luxembourg Income Study. The analysis shows that there is wide variation among the countries but that these differences can be explained by the characteristics of the systems. It is also shown that redistribution does not occur the same way among subgroups of population and that older women are the less favoured by the pension systems

. Reducing dependency, increasing opportunity : Options for the future of welfare to work, U.K. (PDF file - 2.4MB, 144 pages) D. Freud, Department for Work and Pensions, London, An independant report, March 2007.

. Global employment trends for women, 2007 (PDF file - 330K, 20 pages), March 2007, International Labour Organization, Geneva

. Characteristics of minimum wage workers : 2006 - U.S., (PDF file - 62K, 16 pages) Bureau of Labor Statistics, Washington, February 2007.

. The impact of the Fair Minimum Wage Act of 2007 and state minimum wage increases on US workers by race and ethnicity (PDF file - 1.28MB, 25 pages) R. J. Harrison, Y. Li and C. Gouveia, The Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies, Washington, (2007)

. National Minimum Wage (PDF file - 4.2MB, 389 pages)March 2007,Low Pay Commission, London.

. Report from the Commission of the Council, the European Parliament, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions on equality between women and men, (PDF File - 399K, 26 pages) European Commission, Employment, Social Affairs and Equal Opportunities, Brussels, 28 p., (2007).

Times of change: France 1993-2005 (PDF file - 1.2MB, 231 pages)
Published November 2006, posted February 2007
"This report is the most comprehensive synthesis of analyses of the changes in labour market, incomes and social inequalities in France. French data are systematically compared with data of other countries of the E U."
NOTE: the French version of this report includes Excel versions of all tables and graphics, along with hyperlinks to many of the references at the end of the report. These features are not available in the English version of the report.

Français:
La France en transition 1993-2005 (fichier PDF - 3,2Mo., 242 pages)
"Ce rapport est la synthèse la plus complète à ce jour des analyses de l’évolution de l’emploi, des revenus et des inégalités sociales observées en France qui sont systématiquement comparées à celles observées dans les différents ays de l’Union européenne."
La consultation du rapport permet d'accéder :
- en format excel, aux tableaux et graphiques, à leurs sources ainsi qu'à quelques compléments ;
- aux textes cités en bibliographie.

Si vous n'avez pas encore visité le site Web du CERC et vous aimeriez voir ce que vous y trouverez, je vous recommanderais d'examiner quelques numéros du bulletin (offert gratuitement par abonnement) et ensuite d'explorer un des thèmes (La pauvreté - Les minima sociaux - Les compléments de revenus d'activité - Le salaire minimum - Le chômage et retour à l'emploi). À noter que plusieurs des études qui figurent dans le bulletin CERC incluent le Canada dans leurs comparaisons internationales...

. The best and worst state economies for women (PDF file - 1.05MB, 28 pages) H. Hartmann and alii, Institute for Women's Policy Research, Washington, Briefing paper, n° R334, December (2006).
Geographical area : United States

. What is poverty ? Concepts and measures (PDF file - 351K, 20 pages) UNDP, International Poverty Centre, Brasilia, Poverty in focus, December (2006).
Geographical area : International data

. Who are America's poor children ? The official story (PDF file - 231K, 4 pages) S. Fass and N. K. Cauthe, National Center for Children in Poverty, New York, December (2006).
Geographical area : United States

. Transition from work to retirement in EU25 (PDF file - 243K, 20 pages) A. Zaidi and M. Fuchs, European Centre, Vienna, Policy brief, December (2006).
Geographical area : Europe

. Tax credits, the minimum wage and inflation (PDF file - 220K, 10 pages) E. Maag, The Urban Institute, Washington, Policy brief, tax policy, issues and options, n° 17, January (2007).
Geographical area : United States

. The minimum wage and labour market flexibility (PDF file - 250K, 4 pages) N. Elgrably, Institut Economique de Montréal, IEDM, Montréal, Les notes économiques, décembre (2006).

Lone parents and work : Developing new survey measures of the choices and constraints (PDF file - 1.07MB, 184 pages)(United Kingdom), D. Collins and alii, London, Working paper, n° 34, September (2006).
Source:
Department for Work and Pensions

Recruiting long-term unemployed : Lessons from wage subsidies (PDF file - 107K, 17 pages)(United Kingdom), R. Welters and J. Muysken, , Callaghan, Working paper, n° 06-04, August (2006).
This paper concentrates on the labour demand side to explain the incidence of long-term unemployment. We introduce a novel way to infer employer search behaviour, through deadweight loss incidence in wage subsidy schemes. Using a dataset on British firms participating in such schemes we distinguish between intensive and extensive employer search. Since intensive and extensive search behaviour affect the job find probability of (long-term) unemployed, our conclusions have significant labour market policy relevance. We find that firm size, firm structure and proposed hours worked influence the willingness of employers to recruit from long-term unemployed.
Source:
Centre of Full Employment and Equity (CofFEE)

Nine years of neglect : Federal minimum wage remains unchanged for ninth straight year, falls to lowest level in more than half a century (PDF file - 78K, 6 pages) (United States), J. Bernstein and I. Shapiro, Washington, August (2006).
Source:
Center on Budget and Policy Priorities
Economic Policy Institute

Social models, growth and the international monetary system : Implications for Europe and the United States, (PDF file - 296K, 28 pages)L. Costabile and R. Scazzieri, Amherst, Working paper series, n° 117, July 2006.
This paper explores the relationship between economic growth and the welfare state. We argue that: (i) the institutional constraints set by the international monetary system may be at least as effective determinants of growth differentials between countries as the different dimensions of their welfare states. We show how this international system may impose an asymmetric discipline/flexibility mix on the macroeconomic policies of different countries, thereby influencing their growth performance.; (ii) the European currency reshapes some of the pre-existing constraints and also open up new opportunities; (iii) in the new international setting, Europe is facing a choice between alternative models. In one alternative, the “welfare system” needs to be reduced to a minimum; in the second, its role should be enhanced and made more active, through an appropriate mix of welfare policies oriented towards the promotion of social well-being and policies oriented towards the promotion of productive capacities.
Source:
Political Economy Research Institute

Special : 10 years after welfare reform in the U.S.

. A decade of welfare reform : Facts and figures, (PDF file - 47K, 6 pages) from The Urban Institute, Washington, June (2006).

. Getting on, staying on and getting off welfare : The complexity of state-by-state policy choices (PDF file - 203K, 8 pages) G. Rowe and L. Giannarelli, The Urban Institute, Washington, July (2006).

. Looking forward, looking back :Reflections on the 10th Anniversary of welfare reform (PDF file - 72K, 4 pages), N. K. Cauthen, National Center for Children in Poverty, New York, August (2006).

. The outcomes of 1996 welfare reform (PDF file - 117K, 12pages), R Haskings, The Brookings Institution, Washington, Testimony, House Ways and Means Committee, July (2006).

. TANF at 10 : Program results are more mixed than often understood (PDF file - 244K, 16pages), S. Parrott and A. Sherman, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, Washington, August (2006).

. Ten years after welfare reform. It's time to make work work for families (PDF file - K, 2 pages), E. Ganzglass, Center for Law and Social Policy, Washington, August (2006).

. Getting punched : The job and family clock : It's time for flexible work for workers of all wages, (PDF file - 159K, 32 pages) J. Levin-Epstein, Center for Law and Social Policy, Washington, July (2006).

. Institutions, unemployment and inactivity in the OECD countries (PDF file - 289K, 35 pages), B. Amable, L. Demmou and D. Gatti, Paris - Jourdan Sciences économiques, Paris, Working paper, n° 16, 35 p., (2006).
- including Canada
Résumé - Summary : This paper provides new evidence on the linkages between a large array of institutional arrangements (on product, labour and financial markets) and employment performance. Our analysis includes unemployment, inactivity and jobless rates, thus allowing us to control for possible substitution effects across situations of nonemployment and to check whether institutional rigidities affecting unemployment impact inactivity along the same line. To cope with common problems related to the inclusion of time-invariant institutional variables in fixed effects models, we present results of regressions based on three different estimators: PCSE, GLS and FEVD, the last one being a new procedure specifically designed to treat slowly changing variables. New institutional series are proposed, namely to account for unemployment insurance net replacement rates and employment protection legislation (EPL). Among other results, we find strong evidence of a positive effect of EPL on employment performance as well as of possible complementarities across product and labour markets regulation.
Zone géographique / Geographical area : Pays de l'OCDE / OECD countries

. The international child poverty gap : Does demography matter ?, (PDF file - 370K, 34 pages) P. Heuveline and M. Weinshenker, Luxembourg Income Study, Luxembourg, LIS working paper, n° 441, June, (2006).
Summary : Children experience a higher poverty rate in the U.S. than in most comparable nations a poverty gap traceable to international differences in income redistribution across households rather than to market earnings. Using Luxembourg Income Study data, we find that child poverty rates are higher in the U.S. than in 13 out of 14 other high-income nations. The poverty rate for American children living with a single female and no other adult (55%) is the highest for any family structures in any nation. Using demographic decomposition, we isolate the contributions of several factors to the overall gap, including family-formation behaviors and living-arrangement decisions that place children in family structures with differential poverty risks (distributional effect), and differences in market earnings and transfer income between households headed by a married couple and other households with children (gradient effects). Distributional effects contribute to the U.S. poverty gap with every nation except the United Kingdom but are relatively small. Gradient effects in income redistribution are also of limited importance, and contribute to the U.S. gap with only some countries. These results demonstrate that overall differences in labor markets and welfare schemes best explain international child poverty gaps.
Geographical area : International comparisons

Measuring gender differences among Europe's knowledge workers (PDF file - 267K, 8 pages)
Version française :
Mesure des écarts entre femmes et hommes chez les travailleurs du savoir en Europe, H. Wilen, Eurostat, Luxembourg, Statistiques en bref, science et technologie, n° 12/2006, 8 p., (2006).

. Unemployment insurance in Europe : Unemployment duration and subsequent employment stability, (PDF file - 302K, 43 pages). Tatsiramos, Institute for the Study of Labor, Bonn, IZA discussion paper, n° 2280, August, 43 p., (2006).
Summary : The empirical literature on unemployment insurance has focused on its direct effect on unemployment duration, while the potential indirect effect on employment stability through a more efficient matching process, as the unemployed can search for a longer period, has attracted much less attention. In the European context this is surprising as reform proposals of the unemployment insurance system aiming at reducing high European unemployment rates should consider both effects. This paper provides evidence on the effect of unemployment benefits on unemployment and employment duration in Europe, using individual data from the European Community Household Panel for eight countries. Country specific estimates based on a multivariate discrete proportional hazard model, controlling for observed and unobserved individual heterogeneity, suggest that even if receiving benefits has a direct negative effect increasing the duration of unemployment spells, there is also a positive indirect effect of benefits on subsequent employment duration. This indirect effect is pronounced in countries with relatively generous benefit systems, and for recipients who have remained unemployed for at least six months. In terms of the magnitude of the effect, recipients remain employed on average two to four months longer than non-recipients. This represents a ten to twenty per cent increase relative to the average employment duration, compensating for the additional time spent in unemployment. These findings are in line with theories suggesting a matching effect of unemployment insurance.
Geographical area : Europe

. Working time developments : 2005, by the European Industrial Relations Observatory On-line, Dublin, (2006).
Geographical area : Europe

Les bénéficiaires de l’aide sociale départementale en 2005 (PDF file - 471K, 8 pages), B. Chastenet et F. Trespeux, Drees, Paris, Études et résultats, n° 514, août (2006).
[Available in French only]
Résumé - Summary : Fin 2005, près de 1,6 million de personnes étaient concernées par l’aide sociale départementale issue des lois de décentralisation de 1984 qui regroupe les aides aux personnes âgées, aux personnes handicapées et à l’enfance. En y ajoutant les allocataires du RMI (1,1 million), dont la gestion relève de la compétence des conseils généraux depuis 2004, le nombre total de ces bénéficiaires s’établissait donc à plus de 2,7 millions.
Depuis 2004, l’aide sociale destinée aux personnes âgées dépasse le million de bénéficiaires, en raison de la mise en œuvre progressive à partir de 2002 de l’allocation personnalisée d’autonomie (APA), qui concernait 921 000 personnes fin 2005. Le nombre de personnes handicapées bénéficiant de l’aide sociale (236 000 fin 2005) a également progressé en 2005 (+3%) ; parmi elles, près d’une sur deux bénéficiait de l’allocation compensatrice pour tierce personne (ACTP). Enfin, l’aide sociale à l’enfance (ASE) a concerné 272 000 bénéficiaires. L’écart entre les mesures éducatives (134 000) et les mesures de placement (138 000) a continué à se resserrer légèrement en 2005, les premières augmentant un peu plus que les secondes (+2% contre +1 %).
Geographical area : France

. Assessing the effects of the budget conference agreement on low-income families and individuals, [PDF file - 82K, 10 pages] S. Parrott, E. Park and R. Greenstein, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, Washington, December, (2005).
Zone géographique / Geographical area : Etats-Unis / United States

. Supplemental measures of material well-being : Basic needs, consumer durables, energy and poverty : 1981 to 2002, (PDF file - 733K, 26 pages)US Department of Commerce / US Census Bureau, Washington, Special studies, n° P23-202, December (2005).
Zone géographique / Geographical area : Etats-Unis / United States

. Assisting the return to employment, (PDF file - 721K, 57 pages) Cerc, Paris, Report n° 6, December (2005).
Zone géographique / Geographical area : France, Europe

. Can parents afford to work ? Childcare costs, tax-benefit policies and work incentives (PDF File - 1MB, 72 pages) H. Immervoll and D. Barber, OECD, Paris, OECD social, employment and migration working papers, n° 31, December, 76 p., (2005).
Geographical area : OECD countries

. Unequal pay or unequal employment ? A cross-country analysis of gender gaps, (PDF file - 2.1MB, 52 pages) C. Olivetti and B. Petrongolo, Centre for Economic Performance, London, CEP discussion paper, n° 711, December (2005). [United Kingdom, Europe, United States]

Job Security : Facing the Challenges of Economic Change (PDF file - 136K, 17 pages)
March 2005
(France)
Selected content from this report:
- The rise in women’s employment - Greater employment in the service sector - Resorting to part-time work - Part-time jobs and personal service activities - The impact of new forms of organisation - Flexibility and manpower management - Trends in Employment Statuses - Why is it necessary to distinguish between job insecurity and employment insecurity? - Overall trends - Growing inequalities with respect to instability (young people, the over 50s) - Various uses of fixed-term or temporary contracts - Permanent and temporary contracts - An economic point of view on the employment legislation - Seeking overall coherence: the Dutch case - Job instability and social protection - health - pensions - Company supplementary insurance schemes - Unemployment compensation - Reforms have accentuated de facto inequalities - Continuing training - much more...

Council for Employment, Income and Social Cohesion Bulletin N°70 - Paris
[Selected Content]
February 14, 2005

. United States : Basic facts about low-income children in the United States (PDF file - 80K, 4 pages), National Center for Children in Poverty, Washington (2005).

. France : L’état du mal-logement en France (Synthèse) (fichier PDF - 619Ko., 13 pages), Fondation Abbé Pierre pour le logement des défavorisés, Paris (2005).

. France : La mise en oeuvre du droit au logement et des dispositifs de la loi contre les exclusions (fichier PDF - 3.72MB, 108 pages), Rapport au Conseil national de l’habitat 1999-2002, Ministère délégué au logement et à la ville, Paris, novembre (2004).

. France : Les bénéficiaires du Revenu minimum d'insertion (RMI) dans les contrats aidés : un accès privilégié aux contrats emploi solidarité (fichier PDF - 824Ko., 8 pages), S. Adjerad et M. Defosseux, Dares, Paris, Premières synthèses, n° 06.1, février (2005).

. Europe : Job security and job protection (PDF file - 521K, 47 pages), A. Clark and F. Postel-Vinay, Institute for the Study of Labor, Bonn, IZA discussion paper, n° 1489, February, 47 p., (2005).

. Europe : Basic Information Report Denmark 2004 : A European Employment Observatory Report, (fichier PDF - 245Ko., 67 pages), European Employment Observatory, Birmingham (2004).

. France : L’allocation supplémentaire du minimum vieillesse. Bénéficiaires au 31 décembre 2003 (fichier PDF - 222Ko., 54 pages), F. Kohler, Drees, Paris, Document de travail, série statistiques, n° 73, janvier (2005).

. United States : An analysis of Senator Graham’s social security plan (PDF file - 78K, 17 pages), J. Furman and R. Greenstein, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, Washington, 17 p., (2005).

. Europe : Job mobility and wage mobility at the beginning of the working career : A comparative view across Europe (PDF file - 135K, 31 pages), M. A. Davia, Institute for Social and Economic Research, Colchester, ISER working papers, n° 2005-03, January (2005).

. Germany, Great Britain : Income mobility in old age in Britain and Germany (PDF file - 475K, 28 pages), A. Zaidi, J. R. Frick and F. Büchel, Centre for Analysis of Social Exclusion, London, CASEpaper, n° 89, December (2004).

. United Kingdom : Opportunity and security throughout life : Five year strategy (PDF file - 1MB, 96 pages), Department for Work and Pensions, London, February (2005).

Child Poverty in France (PDF file - 1.8MB, 149 pages)
January 2004
Version française:
Les enfants pauvres en France (fichier PDF - 850Ko., 151 pages)
La documentation française, 2004
Résumé (fichier PDF - 63Ko., 6 pages)

. Child poverty in Ireland : an overview, M. Corbett and L. Kerrins, Children’s Right Alliance, Dublin, 16 p., (2004).
. Exploring an income adequacy standard for children, C. Corrigan, Combat Poverty Agency, Dublin, Working paper, n° 04/02, October, 59 p., (2004).
. France précaire, statistique d’accueil 2003, Secours catholique, Paris, novembre, 77 p., (2004).
. Innocenti social monitor 2004 : Economic growth and child poverty in the CEE/CIS and the Baltic States, UNICEF, Innocenti Research Centre, Florence, 144 p., (2004).
. Profil de la pauvreté 2001 / Poverty Profile, 2001 , Canada, Rapport du Conseil National du Bien Etre Social, Ottawa, Volume n° 122, automne, 161 p., (2004).
. Sliding into poverty ? Cross-national patterns of income source change and income decay in old age, J. M. Williamson and T. M. Smeeding, Center for Retirement Research, Chestnut Hill, CRR working paper, n° 2004-25, November, 44 p., (2004).
. Le chômage dans les régions de l’Union européenne et des pays candidats en 2003, M. Mlady, Eurostat, Luxembourg, Statistiques en bref, Statistiques générales, n° 3/2004, 8 p., (2004).
[English version: Regional unemployment in the European Union and candidate countries in 2003]
. Effective job search practice in the UK's mandatory welfare-to-work programme for youth, M. White, Policy Studies Institute, London, Research discussion papers, n° 17, (2004).
. The big bite ! Why it’s time for the minimum wage to really work, Submission to the Low Pay Commission by Unison and YMCA England, London, November, 46 p., (2004).
. Economic inequality in Spain : The European Union Household Dataset, S. Budria and J. Diaz-Gimenez, FEDEA, Madrid, Documento de trabajo, n° 2004-24, October, 41 p., (2004).
. Les revenus des foyers fiscaux, Evolution sur 10 ans 1992 - 2001, Association des Maires de Grandes Villes de France, Paris, Etude, n° 208, Septembre, 131 p., (2004).
. Why worry any more about the low paid?, C. Howarth and P. Kenway, New Policy Institute, London, 51 p., (2004).
. Observatoire national des zones urbaines sensibles Rapport 2004, Délégation interministérielle à la ville, Paris, novembre, 254 p., (2004).
. Rapport annuel du Défenseur des Enfants au Président de la République et au Parlement, Défenseur des enfants, Paris, 233 p., (2004).
. The 2005 Report : Education for all, the quality imperative, EFA Global Monitoring Report, Unesco, Paris, (2004).

Child poverty and family transfers in Southern Europe (PDF file - 1.3MB, 42 pages) - July 2004
M. Matsaganis and alii, University of Cambridge, Microsimulation Unit, Cambridge, EUROMOD working paper series
"The paper examines the effect of family transfers (used broadly to include contributory family allowances, non-contributory child benefits and tax credits or allowances) on child poverty in Greece, Italy, Spain and Portugal using the European microsimulation model EUROMOD.