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  5. Vulnerable Workers, Training, and Employment Outcomes
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Vulnerable Workers, Training, and Employment Outcomes

Paper Session

Friday, Jan. 5, 2024 10:15 AM - 12:15 PM (CST)

Grand Hyatt, Crockett A/B
Hosted By: Labor and Employment Relations Association
  • Chair: Russell Weinstein, University of Illinois-Urbana-Champaign

The Impact of Employment Protection Legislation on Firm Training for Non-regular and Regular Workers

Hyejin Ko
,
Korean Institute of Health and Social Affairs
Andrew Weaver
,
University of Illinois-Urbana-Champaign

Abstract

Dual labor markets and the prevalence of nonstandard work have led a number of countries to promote labor-market interventions aimed at increasing job quality (OECD 2013). In this study, we explore the impact of employment protection legislation in Korea on training participation for both non-regular and regular workers. In particular, the 2007 labor-market reforms in Korea required that employers provide access to training for non-regular workers (Grubb 2007). We use data from the Korea Labor and Income Panel Study (KLIPS) along with a causal difference-in-difference (DiD) strategy to estimate the impact of the 2007 legislation on participation in employer-provided training. As part of our DiD approach, we make use of the law's employment size thresholds to precisely estimate effects over time. Our results show a significant decrease in training participation for both non-regular and regular workers in the first few years after the law's implementation, with the largest impacts on non-regular workers. At the same time, we find considerable heterogeneity in outcomes. Training reductions are more pronounced for larger establishments with better job quality. Reductions are also concentrated in general--as opposed to specific--skill training. Negative impacts on nonstandard workers are also larger in certain industry-establishment-union settings. This study's findings point to a number of policy-relevant conclusions regarding training and employment protection.

Understanding the Role of Transparency in the Job Matching Process for Travel Nurses

Hye Jin Rho
,
Michigan State University
Christine Riordan
,
University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Abstract

During the Covid-19 pandemic, employers experienced widespread difficulty retaining and hiring workers in the food services sector, many of whom are hourly workers. A common explanation has been that workers no longer have financial or emotional incentives to work. At the same time, however, the same sector has been adding jobs at a high rate with growth in wages, which may suggest that workers are simply finding other jobs with better pay. In this paper, we focus on the job preferences of student dining workers and ask why they didn't come back to work. To explore the reasons behind this puzzle, we partner with a large public University-based employer and administer a survey to the entire University student population. First, we link these responses to students' administrative records to explore the relationship between student outcomes and work behavior. Second, we compare supply-side explanations, such as the pandemic's effect in lowering students' motivations to work, against demand-side explanations, such as greater wage competition for workers in the surrounding community. Third, we investigate the appeal of non-pecuniary amenities, such as schedule flexibility and social status associated with the job, relative to pay. Understanding the job preferences of student dining workers has broader implications for (1) understanding labor shortages within the low-wage services industry, as well as (2) understanding how youth navigate school-to-work transitions following the Covid-19 pandemic.

Career Pathways of High School Career and Technical Education Completers

Ting Zhang
,
University of Baltimore
Mathew Uretsky
,
Portland State University
Laurie Schintler
,
George Mason University

Abstract

In the face of varying philosophies regarding Career and Technical Education (CTE), the Blueprint for Maryland’s Future law aligns with the Kirwan Commission's objective: ensuring that each Maryland student is equipped with the means to succeed in college and a fulfilling career by high school graduation. This study delves into the determinants influencing employment and earnings outcomes among high school CTE completers across distinct career pathways. Drawing upon a comprehensive longitudinal dataset that amalgamates high school student records, college attendance, and employment data from diverse governmental bodies in Maryland, we focus on five student cohorts commencing 8th grade between 2014 and 2018, meticulously tracking their progress until 2022. Employing a blend of descriptive statistics, multilevel mixed-effects modeling, difference-in-difference analysis, and data visualization, this study will illuminate a spectrum of career trajectories. Through this comprehensive approach, we aim to pinpoint the key contributors to varied employment and earnings outcomes. The outcomes will be instrumental in revealing insights into potential policy interventions that can pave the way for a more promising labor market future for high school CTE completers, ultimately fostering their integration into a robust and appealing workforce.

The Long-Term Effects of Apprenticeship Training and Certification on Immigrant-Native-Born Earning Gaps

Tingting Zhang
,
University of Illinois-Urbana-Champaign
Rupa Banerjee
,
Toronto Metropolitan University

Abstract

This study presents an empirical analysis of workplace-based training, such as apprenticeship, and its impacts on labor market outcomes, by analyzing administrative data linked among the registered apprentice information system, immigration landing record, and individual tax filing. Specifically, we ask whether pursuing an apprenticeship pathway can reduce immigrant-native-born labor market gaps. We find a positive impact of skilled trades apprenticeship training and certification on individual labor market outcomes, particularly for immigrants. Immigrants who complete an apprenticeship or trade qualifier in Canada tend to experience rapid earnings assimilation relative to their native-born counterparts.

Discussant(s)
Aaron Sojourner
,
W.E. Upjohn Institute for Employment Research
Hye Jin Rho
,
Michigan State University
JEL Classifications
  • J2 - Demand and Supply of Labor
  • J4 - Particular Labor Markets