[PEN-L:4647] BLS Daily Report

[Richardson_D <Richardson_D@xxxxxxx>]

This message is in MIME format. Since your mail reader does not understand
this format, some or all of this message may not be legible.

------_=_NextPart_000_01BE7A35.0CF61900

BLS DAILY REPORT, MONDAY, MARCH 29, 1999

The lack of a specific, fixed definition of contingent workers could
detrimentally affect businesses as independent contractors and other
contingent workers litigate their status, an Employee Benefit Research
Institute report says.  According to the study, "Contingent Workers and
Workers in Alternative Work Arrangements," the absence of a clear definition
is forcing courts to decide the issue.  Sometimes this has resulted in back
pay and benefit awards to plaintiffs challenging their independent
contractor status. ...  EBRI describes itself as a private nonprofit,
nonpartisan public policy research organization in Washington, D.C. ...  The
Bureau of Labor Statistics defines contingent workers as those who "do not
have an implicit or explicit contract for ongoing employment.  "Contingent
work, defined broadly, covers flexible employment practices, such as
temporary work, employee leasing, self-employment, contracting, and
home-based work, as well as part-time work," according to the report. ...
Using figures from the BLS Current Population Survey, EBRI found contingent
workers accounted for between 2.2 and 4.9 percent of the labor force in
1995.  The contingent workforce had declined slightly by 1997 -- probably
because of the strong economy -- to between 1.9 and 4.4 percent of the labor
force, the report said.  This decline counters the argument that the
contingent relationship is gaining in popularity among U.S. employers, EBRI
said. ...  (Daily Labor Report, page A-2).

The long-term demographic trend toward early retirement has come to an end,
leading many older Americans to take employment in a variety of "bridge
jobs," according to a report by the Employee Benefit Research Institute.
These bridge jobs can be in a new line of work and are usually for a short
duration or part time, bridging the gap between career and retirement, the
study found.  Estimates suggest that between one-third and one-half of older
full-time career workers will hold bridge jobs before finally quitting work.
....  And there is a "dawning realization" in the business community that a
decrease in the number of younger workers is coinciding naturally with the
growth of the older labor force, says a spokesman for the National Council
on Aging.  Among the reasons for boosting workforce participation by older
individuals are these:  Mandatory retirement has been outlawed for most
American workers; Social Security is becoming age-neutral, no longer
penalizing the average worker who wants to continue working after age 65;
defined contribution plans, which do not contain age-specific retirement
incentives as many defined benefit plans do, are taking up an increasing
proportion of employee pension coverage; Americans are living longer and
healthier lives and can look forward to years of productivity after age 65;
and the strength of the American economy has increased the demand for all
types of labor, including older workers (Daily Labor Report, page D-1).

The five most expensive cities in the world are in Asia, according to a
study of living expenses for business travelers and expatriate Americans.
The study, by the Corporate Resources Group, surveyed more than 150 cities
and found that, in the fall of 1998, among the 15 cities where the cost of
living was more expensive than in New York, 10 were in Asia.  Among the 10
least expensive cities, three were in Africa, three in South Asia, and -- in
10th position from the bottom -- Calgary, Canada. ...  The results of the
study are shown in a graph, and the study takes New York as the benchmark at
an index of 100.  In assessing living costs, the research considers a
comprehensive basket of goods and services that includes housing, food,
clothing, utilities, transportation, and entertainment (Washington Post,
March 27, page A11).

Health insurance premiums, which began rising sharply last year after a
4-year lull, will surge as much as 10 percent annually for at least the next
3 years, says Patrick Hays, chief executive of Blue Cross Blue Shield
association of health plans.  Rising health costs are being driven by
increasing pharmaceutical costs, new technology, demand for health services
by aging baby boomers, and state laws requiring insurers to cover more
services, he said (Washington Post, March 27, page E1).

The Old South of textiles and related industries has given way to a New
South with options no one would have dreamed possible even 20 years ago,
contends The Washington Post (March 28, page A3).  These days a worker in
the South is as likely to assemble computer parts or make automobiles for a
foreign company as to labor in a sewing room.  But globalization has cut
both ways.  At the same time Spartanburg County, South Carolina, has
attracted 114 international firms -- including the automaker BMW with an
investment of $1.2 billion and 3,000 jobs -- the Southeast has lost
thousands of other positions in textiles and apparel to more efficient
technology and to Mexico and other countries where labor is cheaper.

The University of Michigan's index of consumer sentiment fell to 105.7 this
month, following a 108.1 reading in February, reflecting concerns about
higher interest rates. Nonetheless, the index remains at a high level and
indicates consumers remain confident about the economy's performance. ...
(Wall Street Journal, page A2).

The Wall Street Journal feature "Tracking the Economy" (page A6) shows that
the Technical Data Consensus Forecast for the March [although it says
February] unemployment rate, due out Friday, is 4.3 percent, in contrast to
the February unemployment rate of 4.4 percent.  Nonfarm payrolls during
March are estimated to be up 200,000; the February increase was 275,000.


------_=_NextPart_000_01BE7A35.0CF61900
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------_=_NextPart_000_01BE7A35.0CF61900--