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Measures of Material Deprivation in OECD Countries (OECD Social, Employment and Migration Working Papers No. 37)

04-Aug-2006

This paper identifies suitable survey questions that might be used in comparative analysis of the extent of material deprivation in OECD countries, and presents simple summary measures of its prevalence.

Pension Challenges and Pension Reforms in OECD Countries

20-Jun-2006

Recent pension reforms in OECD countries have a number of common themes. First, pension eligibility conditions have been tightened. Second, the indexation of pensions in payment has become less generous. Third, some pension schemes link benefit levels to changes in life expectancy. Finally, a number of countries have introduced defined-contribution pensions: privately managed schemes where the pension benefit depends on contributions and investment returns.
This paper by P.Whiteford and E.Whitehouse was published in the Oxford Review of Economic Policy.

“Can Parents Afford to Work?” Childcare costs, tax-benefit policies and work incentives

20-Jan-2006

Presentation at the University of Antwerp on 16 January 2006 of a paper on childcare policies which play a crucial role in helping parents reconcile care and employment-related tasks.

Older workers: Living longer, working longer -- Second issue of the Directorate's Newsletter

17-Jan-2006

The second issue of the Directorate for Employment, Labour and Social Affairs Newsletter is now available. It focuses on the challenge of encouraging people to work longer as life expectancy increases, the topic of a recent high-level policy forum in Brussels.

Making better use of labour resources in Chile

18-Nov-2005

To sustain a high rate of GDP growth over the medium term, Chile needs to improve the functioning of its labour market. Chapter 5 of the "Economic Survey of Chile 2005" discusses options for reform in this area. The 2003 Survey found that Chile had greater potential for increasing labour supply than most OECD economies, having a relatively young population and low employment/population ratios for women and youths.

Labour protection in China: Challenges facing Labour Offices and Social insurance

16-Nov-2005

One of the key institutional outcomes of China’s economic reforms has been to create a new role for employers that is separate from the state, and allows enterprises to concentrate on their business. To protect workers, the government has set up public institutions for many social and administrative functions that until recently pertained to work units (danwei), or did not exist. This paper focuses on three such functions for which the 1994 Labour Law makes the government responsible: employment services, labour inspection and social insurance.

Net Social Expenditure, 2005 Edition - More comprehensive measures of social support (OECD Social, Employment and Migration Working Paper No. 29)

08-Nov-2005

This working paper No. 29 contains information on net (after tax) public and private social expenditure for 2001, a more comprehensive measure of social support. After accounting for the impact of taxation, social expenditure to GDP ratios appear similar in Australia, Denmark, United Kingdom and the United States; they are highest in France, Germany and Sweden.

OECD opens in Seoul, Korea, its Regional Centre on Health & Social Policy

23-Sep-2005

The purpose of the Centre, which opened on 9 September in Seoul, is to promote policy dialogue between OECD and non-member economies and to provide capacity-building assistance to the non-OECD Asian economies by information-sharing and policy analysis.

Trends and Determinants of Fertility Rates: The Role of Policies (Social, Employment and Migration Working Paper No 27)

09-Sep-2005

This report tries to explain observed changes in fertility rates across OECD countries, with an emphasis on socio-economic considerations. It aims to extend the understanding of fertility-related behaviours in different ways: by explaining recent developments in fertility rates and their relationships to other social drivers; by developing and testing new and expanded models to explain the cross-country variation in fertility rates due to labour markets, social and fiscal policies, and individual characteristics.

Should We Extend the Role of Private Social Expenditure? (OECD Social, Employment and Migration Working Paper No. 23)

22-Jul-2005

Is there reason to hope that private provision might promote microeconomic efficiency and services which are more responsive to consumer preferences than those provided by a single monopoly public sector provider. Drawing on examples...




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