Below is the uncorrected machine-read text of this chapter, intended to provide our own search engines and external engines with highly rich, chapter-representative searchable text of each book. Because it is UNCORRECTED material, please consider the following text as a useful but insufficient proxy for the authoritative book pages.
15 Department of Labor In fiscal 1977, the Department of Labor was the fourth-largest de- partmental funder of social knowledge production and application in the federal government. Nearly 60 percent of the department's knowl- edge production and application obligations went for the collection and analysis of general purpose statistics, the major funder of which is the Bureau of Labor Statistics. While the department ranks fourth in total knowledge production and application due to its large statistical expenditures, it stands seventh in total research expenditures among federal departments. The Employment and Training Administration has the most well-known research programâwhich is discussed in detail in the National Re- search Council report, Knowledge and Policy in Manpower. SOCIAL KNOWLEDGE PRODUCTION AND APPLICATION ACTIVITIES Table 15-1 presents the distribution of the department's social knowl- edge production and application activities. As noted above, general purpose statistics is the largest single knowledge production and appli- cation activityâaccounting for obligations of more than $74 million in fiscal 1977. The second-largest category, research, had obligations of $22 million in fiscal 1977. 329
330 SURVEY OF FEDERAL AGENCIES TABLE 15-1 Department of Labor Social Knowledge Production and Application Activities ($millions) Activity Fiscal 1975 Fiscal 1976 Fiscal 1977 Knowledge production Research Policy formulation demonstrations Program evaluation General purpose statistics Total Knowledge application 17.1 (20.0)" 4.3 (5.1) 0.2 (0.3) 50.7 (59.5) 72.4 (84.9) Numbers may not total due to rounding. "Numbers in parentheses are column percentages. 19.4 (18.1) 3.3 (3.1) 1.5 (1.4) 67.9 (63.6) 92.1 (86.3) 22.4 (17.4) 3.6 (2.8) 1.2 (1.0) 74.1 (57.6) 101.3 (78.6) Policy implementation demonstralions 0.7 2.4 14.8 (0.8) (2.2) (11.5) Development of materials 5.5 5.7 6.2 (6.5) (5.4) (4.8) Dissemination 6.7 6.5 6.5 (7.8) (6.1) (5.1) Total 12.9 14.6 27.5 (15.1) (13.7) (21.4) TOTAL 85.3 106.8 128.8 (100.0) (100.0) (100.0) ORGANIZATION OF THE DEPARTMENT Figure 15-1 is an organizational chart for the Department of Labor. As the chart shows, social knowledge production and application activities are conducted by all the operating components of the department. Table 15-2 lists the agencies in the department that fund social knowledge production and application activities. The Bureau of Labor Statistics is the largest; the second-largest is the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). OSHA'S largest knowledge produc- tion and application activity in fiscal 1977 was a new program of policy implementation demonstrations, which sought to encourage voluntary compliance by industries to OSHA safety and health regulations.
sis ii1 lag li 1 u i O I ill * 331
332 SURVEY OF FEDERAL AGENCIES TABLE 15-2 Department of Labor Agencies that Support Social Knowledge Production and Application: Profile (fiscal 1977, $millions) Predominant Organizational Location of Total Social Social Social Knowledge Knowledge Knowledge Production Production Production and and and Application Application Applicalion Primary Goal Agency Obligations Activity Activity" or Audience" Bureau of Labor 62.7 General purpose Statistical Collection of Statistics statistics agency statistics Occupational 38.3 Diversified Operating Knowledge for Safety and agency third parties Health Administration Employment and 17.0 Diversified Operating Improvement of Training agency federal programs Administration Employment 5J Research Operating Improvement of Standards agency federal policies Administration Labor Management 2J Research Operating Knowledge for Services agency third parties Administration Office of the 1.3 Research Policy-making Improvement of Secretary office federal policies Bureau of 1.0 Research Policy-making Improvement of International office federal policies Labor Affairs TOTAL 128.8 Numbers may not total due to rounding. "See Chapter 2 for a more detailed discussion. The goal or audience of the department's social knowledge produc- tion and application activities is quite diverse. In addition to collecting statistics, the department aims at improving federal policy and pro- grams and providing knowledge for third parties. In the case of OSHA and the Labor Management Services Administration, the department attempts to provide information for use by both management and workers in various industries. POLICY AREAS Table 15-3 presents the agencies in the Department of Labor by policy area. Nearly three-fourths of the department's social knowledge pro-
^ o o -s Illll e - 8 1 1 I 'o. g ?t- X S D. a ^ > Ji 'S § ^ < | w | 1 Lilli | 1 'S £ ? a -? O O III ~ 1 u ~ 1 J£llll i - .S p p 3 i hi !B i 1 -t £ § * 1 1 u i & o CO i 1 i ill ^ u 1 0 ° Hill >, 11 "*" fii! u â B-a §1 i if 8* S- I «| i i â¢A **- *~ >, - U u 1 i'i 1 jl H JO O O r>O SCO OO mo m £ do 0 00 -s -*. "? oo r-o v. o oo ooo o^7 mO 38 -:J tig "8 SS - | â9 f~- â¢* 8 S ^. §^ C C â e o â o GC 2 5 5 ⢠* 5 = 1J o ° SS il il >» "⢠!' 333
334 SURVEY OF FEDERAL AGENCIES duction and application obligations was in the policy area of employ- ment and training. The second-largest category, accounting for almost all the remaining one-fourth of the department's obligations, was health. OSHA was categorized as being primarily concerned with en- vironmental health. BUREAU OF INTERNATIONAL LABOR AFFAIRS Social Knowledge Production and Application Obligations (Sthousands) Knowledge Production Activities Knowledge Application Activities Policy Policy Formula- Program General Implemen- Develop- Fiscal Re- tion Dem- Evalu- Purpose tation Dem- ment of Dissem- Year search onstrations ation Statistics Total onstrations Materials ination Total TOTAL 1975 1.090 1.090 1.090 1976 900 to 9X0 980 1977 900 85 985 985 The Bureau of International Labor Affairs is responsible for overseeing all international labor programs and foreign economic programs in the Department of Labor. The bureau participates in the formulation of international economic policy and is responsible for participating in trade negotiations and administering trade adjustment assistance for workers. Research The Office of Foreign Economic Research within the bureau conducts research on the effects of changes in U.S. international economic pol- icy on the economic status of American workers. Such policies include changes in the level of trade barriers and in the tax treatment of foreign income earned by U.S. corporations. The objective of the research program is to assist the Department of Labor in contributing to the formulation of foreign trade and investment policy. Much of the of- fice's research is performed extramurally. Research is currently being conducted on the nature and extent of multinational corporation influence on U.S. employment. This study is attempting to determine the pattern of operations leading American firms to operate abroad; the relationship of these patterns to their employment in the United States; and consequent displacement or changes in labor market structures. Other bureau research projects are looking at:
Department of Labor 335 o the merits of alternative types of trade adjustment assistance; o wage rate comparisons for export and domestic industries; o the relationships of foreign trade to labor union membership; o the role of agriculture in multilateral trade negotiations; and o price behavior in U.S. industries and the benefits of trade liberali- zation. For Further Information Write Bureau of International Labor Affairs, Department of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20210. BUREAU OF LABOR STATISTICS Social Knowledge Production and Application Obligations (Sthousands) Knowledge Production Activities Knowledge Application Activities Policy Policy Formula- Program General Implemen- Develop- Fiscal Re- tion Dem- Evalu- Purpose tation Dem- ment of Ilissem- Year search onstrations ation Statistics Total onstrations Materials ination Total TOTAL 1975 733 40.849 41.582 41.582 1976 620 54.884 55.504 55.504 1977 W3 61.959 62.702 62,702 The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) is responsible for the depart- ment's economic and statistical activities and is the government's principal fact-finding agency in the field of labor economics. Data are collected from workers, business executives, and federal and state agencies on a voluntary basis; the bureau's statistical programs have grown out of the needs of these groups as well as those of Congress and federal and state governments. Research As in other statistical agencies, methodological research is conducted on conceptual and measurement problems faced by the bureau. Re- search was conducted during fiscal 1976 to assess and improve meas- ures of wage levels and rates of change. Another project tested alterna- tive collection techniques for the employment cost index. Alternative conceptual frameworks for industrial price data are also being examined.
336 SURVEY OF FEDERAL AGENCIES General Purpose Statistics Statistics are collected in the following areas (fiscal 1977 obligations are in parentheses). MANPOWER AND EM FLO YM EN T ($27.5 million) Monthly estimates are made of the U.S. labor force, employment and unemployment, and selected characteristics of the labor force. Monthly data are prepared and published on employment, hours of work, and earnings by industry for the United States and for each state. Projections are prepared on manpower requirements and supply, including detailed studies of the outlook for specific occupations. PRICES AND COST OF LIVING($15.5 million) The Consumer Price Index and the Wholesale Price Index are compiled and published monthly. Special analytical studies of price changes are undertaken. WAGES AND INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS ($10.4 million! Data are collected and analyzed on occupational wages and salaries in major labor mar- kets and industries. Monthly information is compiled on work stop- pages and wage developments. Reports and studies are issued on fringe benefits, expenditures, collective bargaining agreements, trade union organizations, and private welfare and pension plans. PRODUCTIVITY AND TECHNOLOGY ($2.4 million) Analyses are prepared on output per man hour and unit labor cost trends for the entire U.S. economy and for specific industries. Studies are conducted on automa- tion and other technological changes and the adjustment to such changes. Studies are made of labor requirements for selected types of construction. ECONOMIC GROWTH ($0.5 million) Long-range projections of U.S. eco- nomic growth are prepared. Special economic and social studies are undertaken and reports prepared. REVISION OF CONSUMER PRICE INDEX ($5.6 million) The Consumer Price Index measures average changes in the retail prices of selected goods, rents, and services. A revision to modernize the index is under way to meet the demands for its use in present day domestic, eco- nomic, and industrial planning.
Department of Labor 337 The principal periodic reports of the bureau are presented in Table 15-4. TABLE 15-4 Principal Periodic Reports of the Bureau of Labor Statistics Monthly Labor Review (Monthly Magazine) Employment and Earnings (Monthly) Chartbook on Prices, Wages, and Productivity (Monthly) Employment and Wages (Quarterly) Geographic Profile of Employment and Unemployment (Annual) Occupational Wage and Supplementary Benefits Surveys Employee Compensation and Payroll Hours Annual Earnings and Employment Patterns (Annual) Digest of Selected Pension Plans Digest of Selected Health and Insurance Plans Municipal Government Wage Studies Current Wage Developments (Monthly) Wage and Hours (Annual) Work Stoppages (Monthly) Directory of National Unions, Employee Associations (Biennial) Major Collective Bargaining Agreements Characteristics of Agreements Covering 1.000 Workers or More (Annual) Occupational Injuries and Illnesses by Industry (Annual) Indexes of Output per Man-Hour for Selected Industries (Annual) Studies of Labor Requirements for Construction (Annual) Productivity and Costs (Quarterly and Annual) Wholesale Prices and Price Indexes (Monthly) Tuesday Spot Market Price Indexes and Prices (Weekly and Monthly Summary) Consumer Price Index Detailed Report (Monthly) Export and Import Price Indexes (Quarterly) Handbook of Labor Statistics (Annual) Major Programs (Annual) SOURCE: Statistical Policy Division, Office of Management and Budget, Statis- tical Services of the United States Government, 1975, U.S. Government Print- ing Office, Washington, D.C., 1975. For Further Information See BLS Handbook of Methods, available from the U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C., or write Bureau of Labor Statistics, Department of Labor, 441 G Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20212.
338 SURVEY OF FEDERAL AGENCIES EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS ADMINISTRATION Social Knowledge Production and Application Obligations (Sthousands) Knowledge Production Activities Knowledge Application Activities Policy Policy Formula- Program General Implemen- Develop- Fiscal Re- tion Dem- Evalu- Purpose cation Dem- ment of Dissem- Year search onstrations ation Statistics Tota1 onstrations Materials ination Total TOTAL 1975 3.240 190 310 3.740 3.740 1976 5.433 320 386 6.139 6.139 1977 5.450 348 5.789 5.798 The Employment Standards Administration (ESA) is responsible for administering and directing programs of employment standards dealing with: minimum wage and overtime standards; equal pay; discrimina- tion in employment; promotion of women's welfare; and worker's compensation programs for federal and certain other employees. Research ESA is responsible for conducting research to determine the economic and social effects of existing or proposed labor standards legislation and administrative actions. As part of this research program, the role of legislation is appraised in relation to broad economic and social goals. In addition, special studies are undertaken to determine the effects of various policies and procedures on problems affecting equal employ- ment opportunities. The largest research project currently under way is a study of the economic impact and effectiveness of the 1974 amendments to the Fair Labor Standards Act. These amendments extend fair labor standards coverage to various segments of the population that were not previ- ously covered while providing exemptions from federal minimum wage and/or overtime provisions for a broad range of activities and em- ployments. Congress mandated that ESA study the exempted activities to provide the data necessary to decide whether the exemptions should be continued, modified, or eliminated. Other ESA research projects include a study of the average number of hours in tours of duty for law enforcement and fire protection person- nel. The findings of the study will provide the basis for determining the standards for overtime hours applicable to police and fire personnel. Another study examined the effect of making the existing minimum wage cover babysitters for working parents. Data were collected on
Department of Labor 339 changes in child care arrangements as a result of making the federal minimum wage applicable to babysitters. Research has also been con- ducted on the ability of the economy to absorb increases in the minimum wage. General Purpose Statistics The agency collects, compiles, summarizes, analyzes, and publishes statistics on the findings of wage-hour investigations and other com- pliance actions. Prevailing wage rates for the construction industry are published by area, industry, and job classification. For Further Information Write Employment Standards Administration, Department of Labor, Room C-4331. 200 Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20210. EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING ADMINISTRATION Social Knowledge Production and Application Obligations (Sthousands) Knowledge Production Activities Knowledge Application Activities Fiscal Year Re- search Policy Formula- tion Dem- onstrations Program Evalu- ation General Purpose Statistics Total Policy Implemen- tation Dem- onstrations Develop- ment of Materials Dissem- ination Total TOTAL 1975 6.758 5.620 4.520 4.318 58 680 700 3.967 6.671 5.682 15.101 15.486 13.652 708 2.400 2.800 337 20 20 665 1.710 16.811 18.428 16.994 1976 1977 2.515 2,750 522 522 2.942 3.342 The Employment and Training Administration (ETA), formerly the Manpower Administration, is responsible for carrying out a variety of employment and training programs. These programs include the U.S. Employment Service, the Work Incentive Program (WIN), the Unem- ployment Insurance Service, apprenticeship and training programs, and programs authorized under the Comprehensive Employment and Training Act (CETA). The major research arm of ETA is the Office of Research and Devel- opment (ORD). ORD has several funding programs: o Research projects are designed to yield knowledge about basic manpower problems and point to their solution on a short- or long-
340 SURVEY OF FEDERAL AGENCIES range basis. This program supports basic and applied research on a wide variety of manpower issues and problems. o Special research grants are provided to colleges and universities to alleviate critical shortages of manpower specialists to strengthen the manpower capability of those institutions. Special grants include: manpower institutional grants to train manpower research talent and support systematic programs of research on local and regional man- power problems (training support is excluded from social knowledge production and application totals); small grants to universities in sup- port of doctoral dissertation research in the manpower field; and small grants to postdoctoral specialists in support of innovative studies and the development of new methods to solve manpower problems or con- tribute to policy formulation. o Development programs that are experimental and demonstrative in nature are undertaken to initiate new techniques and approaches or to determine the effect and applicability of program innovations. The purpose of these programs is to develop and test ways in which operat- ing programs might more effectively solve significant manpower prob- lems. These projects have been categorized as either policy formula- tion demonstrations or policy implementation demonstrations. Research The research activities of ORD are aimed at producing information needed to deal with unemployment and other problems of manpower resources. Areas of research include the following. MANPOWER PROGRAM PLANNING AND ADMINISTRATION ThJS program includes research on: Comprehensive Employment and Training Act (CETA) agency planning; labor market and other information systems; manpower agency capabilities; and research and development, evalua- tion, and planning. Specific projects include: o Transition to CETA in Ohio: An Analysis of Implementation; o Impact of Manpower Training Programs on Minorities and Women; and o A Study of On-line Use of Job Information in Employment Service Local Offices. MAN POWER PROG RAMS AND THEIR SPECIFIC POPULATIONS ThJS prOgTam focuses on the following specific populations: alcoholics and drug us- ers; apprentices; engineers; prisoners, offenders, and ex-offenders; ra-
Department of Labor 341 cial and ethnic minorities; veterans; welfare recipients and other un- employed; and women, youth, and other groups. Specific projects in- clude: o Retraining Problem Drinkers on the Job; o Labor Market Experience for Engineers during Periods of Chang- ing Demand; o An Assessment of the Manpower Effort in the Criminal Justice and Corrections Setting; and o A Study of Unemployment Insurance Exhaustees. MANPOWER PROGRAM SERVICES AND TECHNIQUES This program deals with the following aspects of manpower service programs: education; public employment programs; supported employment; job upgrading and restructuring; worker assessment and orientation; and other sup- portive services for workers and trainees. Specific projects include: o Transition from School to Work: The Contribution of Cooperative Education Programs at the Secondary School Level; o The Potential of Wage Subsidies; and o Assessment Tools for Counseling Manpower Program Clients Toward Suitable Training or Job Placement. LABOR MARKET This program area focuses on general research on labor force, labor market, and labor demand; research on specific sec- tors and cohorts of the labor force and labor market; employer prac- tices; and worker attitudes. Specific studies include: o The Economic and Social Aspects of the Labor Force Behavior of Low-Income Families in Four Southern Rural Counties; o Impact of Temporary Help Service Industry Upon Women's Labor Market Participation and Behavior; o Labor Supply for Lower Level Occupations, 1960-1980; o National Longitudinal Survey of Labor Force Behavior; and o Labor Market, Inflation, and Manpower PolicyâA Simulation Model. MANPOWER, ECONOMIC, AND SOCIAL POLICIES This program area as- sesses the impact of labor market behavior and manpower programs on national policy. Specific projects include: o The Employment Impact of Multinational Corporations; o The Manpower Impact of Government Programs and Policies; and
342 SURVEY OF FEDERAL AGENCIES o A Study of the Employment Impact of Federal Assistance Pro- grams for Minority Business Enterprise. Policy Formulation Demonstrations These projects seek to develop and test in operation ways in which state and local manpower program sponsors under CETA might more effectively address locally determined manpower needs. These demon- strations determine the feasibility of potentially useful innovations and analyze the effectiveness of new techniques. Many of these demonstra- tions are jointly funded with other agencies and thus the total spent on these projects is larger than the ORD portion. Examples of such demon- strations are described below. JOB SEARCH AND RELOCATION ASSISTANCE PILOT PROJECT ThJS prOJCCt was undertaken to test the feasibility and effectiveness of using a "job bank" as a source of information on filling jobs and providing reloca- tion services. EX-OFFENDER DEMONSTRATION This program was aimed at testing the efficiency of providing transitional financial aid to ex-offenders to as- sist them in entering community life and finding employment. DEMONSTRATION PROJECT TO SERVE YOUNG BLACK GIRLS IN TENNES- SEE This project tested whether a program of peer group reinforce- ment, role model aides, and constructive work experience could re- duce school dropout rates and improve labor market experience for female students upon leaving school. FEASIBILITY DEMONSTRATION FOR THE INTRODUCTION OF VOUCHERS INTO THE WORK INCENTIVE PROGRAM (WIN) This project was aimed at determining the administrative feasibility of using vouchers for the purchase of manpower training services by WIN and estimating the administrative costs and benefits of using them. SUPPORTED EMPLOYMENT PROJECTS ThCSC COnSJStCd Of 3 SCnCS Of projects to determine the national feasibility and potential of public service supported work programs for individuals with addiction, al- coholic, and offender backgrounds who are unable to remain success- fully employed. The basic feature of the demonstration is to provide
Department of Labor 343 work in a controlled, low-stress environment for individuals who are not ready for entry into the competitive labor market. Program Evaluation It was frequently difficult to make the distinction between research activities and program evaluation activities in ETA. Many of the re- search projects funded by ORD have a clear "evaluation" component. With the exception of several projects, the "evaluation research" ac- tivities of ORD were categorized as research. General Purpose Statistics ETA has statistical responsibilities for all manpower programs and ac- tivities in the Department of Labor. In addition, ETA gives grants to state employment services to assist the department in collecting the data described below. CURRENT EMPLOYMENT STATISTICS PROGRAM This program collects in- formation each month from a sample of employers on employment, average weekly wages, and average weekly hours. The data resulting from this statistical collection are published in the Monthly Labor Re- view. Data are also published by the individual state employment agen- cies, which conduct the data collection activity. Area Trends in Em- ployment and Unemployment is published. LABOR TURNOVER STATISTICS This program area collects statistics monthly from a sample of employers on separations (terminations of employment) and accession (addition to employment). These data are published for the nation as a whole, states, and geographical areas. Individual state employment agencies also publish the data. ETA also has responsibility for the federal-state cooperative program entitled Occupational Employment Statistics Program. The program consists of data on employment by occupation and industry and is conducted on a three-year cycle. The data are useful in measuring occupational employment trends, analyzing the changing occupational composition of industry, and projecting occupational manpower re- quirements to be used as a basis for planning education and training, in aiding the work of the public employment service, and for providing information useful in industrial management and in research on labor markets.
344 SURVEY OF FEDERAL AGENCIES Policy Implementation Demonstrations In addition to policy formulation demonstrations, a number of demon- strations are funded to promote a given concept among state and local manpower sponsors and employment agencies. Some of these demon- strations are described below. MINORITY WOMEN EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM This is a demonstration program aimed at facilitating entry of minority women into managerial, professional, and technical occupations. The project demonstrates a combined outreach and employer persuasion approach that can be used in overcoming obstacles to the employment of minority women. The program has wide applicability to employment programs nation- wide. EMPLOYMENT OF HANDICAPPED IN STATE CIVIL SERVICE This attempted to demonstrate the implementation and operation of a shel- tered work situation within state civil service systems, in which the less severely handicapped people were rehabilitated through training and employment in a specific job. UPGRADING PARAPROFESSIONALS IN HUMAN SERVICE OCCU- PATIONS This project demonstrates innovative models of upward mobility for paraprofessionals in human service occupations that could be used by employers, educational institutions, appropriate unions, and professional societies. "JOB TRIALS" DEMONSTRATION PROJECT This program demonstrated the feasibility of using "job trials" as a new tool in the process of personnel selection and upgrading. This approach could be used by employers, labor unions, educational institutions, and other appropri- ate agencies. Dissemination Since its creation, the Office of Research and Development has recog- nized the importance of utilization and dissemination. ORD has a unit, the Division of R&D Utilization, assigned to these activities. The unit is responsible for working with other parts of ETA and the department as a whole to facilitate the adoption or adaptation of new research and development techniques. Utilization activities have included: o experimentation with the development of utilization networks at local levels and exploration of ways to encourage local participation;
Department of Labor 345 o synthesizing and analyzing research and development findings to help local agencies, including prime sponsors, put them to use; o publishing and distributing summaries of R&D reports; and o sponsoring seminars, conferences, and workshops. For Further Information See Manpower Research and Development Projects, a publication of the Department of Labor; Knowledge and Policy in Manpower: A Study of the Manpower Research and Development Program in the Department of Labor, National Academy of Sciences, Washington D.C., 1975; or write Office of Research and Development, Employment and Training Administration, Department of Labor, 601 D Street, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20213. LABOR MANAGEMENT SERVICES ADMINISTRATION Social Knowledge Production and Application Obligations (Sthousands) Knowledge Production Activities Knowledge Application Activities Policy Policy Formula- Program General Implemen- Deve lop- Fiscal Re- tion Dem- Evalu- Purpose tation Dem- ment of Dissem- Year search onstrations ation Statistics Total onstrations Materials ination Total TOTAL 1975 814 814 814 1976 2,790 2.790 2.790 M77 2.757 2,757 2,757 The Labor Management Services Administration (LMSA) is responsible for administering the Department of Labor's labor management rela- tions activities. The agency provides assistance in collective bargaining negotiations and keeps the secretary of labor up-to-date on devel- opments in labor management disputes of national scope. In addition, LMSA provides technical assistance to state and local governments on matters concerning public employee labor relations and pursues re- search and policy development in the field of labor management rela- tions. Research The major objective of the agency's research activities is to conduct and support studies that will assist the department in administering various laws on labor management relations. Research is also sup- ported to assist the agency in formulating policy recommendations concerning labor management relations and for promoting measures to
346 SURVEY OF FEDERAL AGENCIES improve them. Research is funded on the four major areas described below. PUBLIC SECTOR LABOR RELATIONS Problems arising out of public sector labor negotiations are studied. Research covers issues such as how the public interest should be represented in bargaining and the impact of bargaining on state and local civil service systems. Studies also focus on how federal legislation relates to state and local government labor relations. PRIVATE SECTOR LABOR RELATIONS Research has been undertaken on the collective bargaining experiences in a variety of major industries. Research also focuses on private employee job and income protection, construction industry labor relations, the structure and process of col- lective bargaining, expedited arbitration, and the effects of technologi- cal change on life and work. WELFARE AND PENSIONS Studies in this area have been mandated by the Employee Retirement Security Act of 1974 (ERISA). The law re- quires that research be conducted on: o the effects of the termination or modification of federal contracts or grants on the pension and retirement rights and benefits of scientific and professional employees working under such federal contracts or grants; o the impact of the act on the provisions and cost of pension plans; o the operation of private pension plans, including the actuarial characteristics of pension plans and the operations of agreements for reciprocity and portability; o the role of private pension plans in meeting the economic security needs of the nation; and o methods of encouraging the growth of private pension plans. POLICY RESEARCH Studies are funded to support the development of policies related to possible changes in the federal labor management relations program, state and local labor management relations, the formulation of regulations under the Employment Retirement Income Security Act, and other selected issues. For Further Information Write Labor Management Services Administration, Department of Labor, 200 Constitu- tion Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20210.
Department of Labor 347 OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH ADMINISTRATION Social Knowledge Production and Application Obligations (Sthousands) Knowledge Production Activities Knowledge Application Activities Policy Policy Formula- Program General Implemen- Develop- Fiscal Re- tion Dem- Evalu- Purpose tation Dem- ment of Dissem- Year search onstrations ation Statistics Total onstrations Materials ination Total TOTAL 1975 3.370 5.581 8.951 5.200 6.000 11.200 20.151 1976 2.520 no 440 5.977 9.737 5.700 6.000 11.700 21.437 1977 6.680 M0 440 6.159 14.079 12.000 6.200 6.000 24.200 38,279 The Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) was created in 1970, when the Occupational and Safety Health Act ex- tended mandatory federal standards for the safety and health protec- tion of workers. OSHA has responsibility for the following occupational safety and health activities: o developing and promulgating occupational safety and health standards; o developing and issuing safety and health regulations; o conducting investigations and inspections to determine the status of compliance with safety and health standards and regulations; and o issuing citations and penalties for noncompliance with safety and health standards and regulations. Research OSHA supports social research in two major areas. The first consists of research to determine the economic and environmental impact of an- ticipated OSHA standards. These studies analyze the technological feasibility, economic feasibility, and environmental impact of proposed OSHA regulations and standards. The studies usually have the following components: o an analysis of the principal costs or other inflationary effects of the proposed action on markets, consumers, and businesses and, where practical, an analysis of secondary costs and price effects; o a comparison of the benefits to be derived from the proposed action with its estimated cost and inflationary impact; and o a review of alternatives to the proposed action that were consid- ered, including their probable costs, benefits, risks, and inflationary impacts compared with those of the proposed action.
348 SURVEY OF FEDERAL AGENCIES The second area consists of research on what factors are effective in reducing injuries and illnesses. Research is now under way to collect and analyze available data to identify causal factors in injury reduction and to establish what countermeasures are effective and ineffective. Physical, behavioral, management, and random factors are being analyzed. Research has also been funded to establish a "knowledge baseline," which measures employee awareness of job safety and health principles. Policy Formulation Demonstrations Prior to its full-scale implementation, the National Emphasis Program (discussed below) was tested as a policy formulation demonstration. In fiscal 1977, several other innovative occupational safety "education" programs were tested. General Purpose Statistics OSHA is responsible for collecting and publishing statistics on occupa- tional fatalities, injuries, and illnesses. It supports an annual national survey that collects information on work-related occupational injuries involving medical treatment (other than first aid), loss of conscious- ness, restriction of work or motion, or transfer to another job. The data are used in a variety of ways: planning and evaluating programs, measuring progress in reducing hazards in the workplace, identifying industries and occupations that have the most serious safety and health problems, and targeting OSHA activities. In addition, the data are used by OSHA'S research program to identify circumstances and events as- sociated with injuries and illnesses that may suggest causes and means of prevention. Policy Implementation Demonstrations The National Emphasis Program is aimed at reducing specific hazards and compliance problems in selected high-hazard industries. The pro- gram uses multiple methods to reduce safety hazards. Education, con- sultation, and information activities are integrated and combined with enforcement activities. A key element of the program is the involve- ment of industry and labor organizations in working with their mem- bers to support voluntary actions aimed at controlling and eliminating occupational and safety health hazards. In fiscal 1977, the first coordinated demonstration program, the Na- tional Emphasis Program, focused on the foundry and metal stamping
Department of Labor 349 industries. The program shows how close coordination between OSHA and organized labor and industry can work to reduce health hazards. The major thrust of the demonstration program is support of a mix of activities (training, dissemination of materials, technical assistance, and other educational activities) that encourage voluntary compliance while using a well-trained inspection team to monitor these efforts. Education and consultative service programs are available to em- ployers well before the inspections begin. Employers are encouraged to use these services in order to prepare for the inspection phase. If this program is accepted and effective, it will be used in other industries in the future. Development of Materials OSHA supports the development of training materials concerned with occupational and safety hazards and ways in which hazards can be reduced. The training materials are made available at nominal costs to industry associations, employers, and employee organizations. Train- ing materials concentrate on specific recognition and control of the principal safety and health hazards in high-hazard industries. Training packages have been prepared for the longshoring, agricultural, con- struction, and meat cutting industries. Packages have also been pre- pared for use by federal departments and agencies. Dissemination Training courses, educational programs, information materials, and technical assistance are provided to employers, employees, trade asso- ciations, union representatives, state and local safety and health per- sonnel, and other interested members of the public to assist them in understanding their rights and responsibilities concerning occupational safety and health. Various dissemination mechanisms are used to stimulate voluntary compliance through joint labor-management coop- eration and to promote private sector efforts to identify and deal inde- pendently with safety and health hazards in the work place. The dis- semination program makes use of the materials developed by the agency and information gained through research. For Further Information Write Occupational Safety and Health Administration, Department of Labor, 200 Con- stitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20210.
350 SURVEY OF FEDERAL AGENCIES OFFICE OF THE SECRETARY Social Knowledge Production and Application Obligations (Sthousands) Knowledge Production Activities Knowledge Application Activities Policy Policy Formula- Program General Implemen- Develop- Fiscal Re- tion Dem- Evalu- Purpose tation Dem- ment of Dissem- Year search onstrations ation Statistics Total onstrations Materials ination Total TOTAL 1975 1.088 1.088 1.088 1976 1.480 1.480 1.480 1977 1.300 1.300 1.300 In the Office of the Secretary, the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Policy, Evaluation, and Research (ASPER) is responsible for coordinat- ing and providing leadership in the department's policy and planning activities, program evaluation, and economic and social research ac- tivities. ASPER serves as the primary analytical arm for the secretary and is charged with policy development, program budget analyses, and the planning, coordination, and synthesis of research and evaluation projects. In addition, ASPER performs coordinative and substantive functions designed to upgrade the department's research and evalua- tion activities. Research In addition to assisting departmental agencies in preparing research and evaluation work plans and providing them with technical assist- ance in the design and analysis of projects, ASPER conducts and sup- ports research that is of interest in the entire department. These activities could have been classified as either research or program evaluation. Because many of ASPER'S studies are general and fre- quently exploratory or methodological in nature, the Study Project decided to categorize these activities as research rather than program evaluation. ASPER'S research draws on work conducted throughout the department. Research is supported in the areas described below. WORKERS' COMPENSATION Projects have been funded to determine theoretical aspects of the workers' compensation system. Individual projects have looked at the division of accident costs between em- ployer and employee.
Department of Labor 351 OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH PrOJCCtS llaVC bCCfl funded OH: the effectiveness of the Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 in reducing work place injuries; developing an economic model that de- scribes the economic costs and implication of disability injuries; and a benefit-cost analysis of federal asbestos standards. FEDERAL CONTRACT COMPLIANCE AND EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTU- NITY Projects have been funded on: assessing equal employment op- portunity construction plans; the earning differentials between disabled and nondisabled workers; developing a model to identify societal ver- sus market factors in sex discrimination. EMPLOYMENT STANDARDS A series of projects has been funded on various aspects of the effects of minimum wage laws on the youth labor market. Several models have been developed to determine the effects of minimum wage legislation on youth labor market behavior. LABOR RELATIONS A study has been funded to develop a model that reflects the effects of unions on the labor market. Another study de- termined the effects of unions on fringe benefits. QUALITY OF WORK Research has been funded on the development of work indicators in social reporting. Another study has examined the effects of performance feedback systems on improving work perform- ance. EMPLOYMENT AND TRAINING PROGRAMS A SCliCS Of StUdiCS DaS looked at various aspects of manpower, training, and employment programs. The benefits of manpower training programs as well as the efficiency and efficacy of public service employment have been analyzed. UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION Various aspects of the unemploy- ment compensation program have been studied, for example, the rela- tionship between unemployment insurance benefits and duration of unemployment as well as reemployment wages. Another study has looked at the distribution of unemployment insurance benefits by classes of income and earnings. PENSIONS The effects of alternative pension plans on wage patterns has been analyzed. Studies have also examined the effects of Em- ployee Retirement Income Security Act of 1974 on the timing of re- tirement and pension plan benefits.
352 SURVEY OF FEDERAL AGENCIES LONG-RUN LABOR MARKET PROBLEMS This ;nv;i has funded research in a variety of topics: the consequences of fertility decline on the U.S. labor markets; the impact of wage and price controls on strike activity; the impact of inflation on labor skill differentials; determining true cost of living increases; and the influence of trade unions on the rate of inflation. For Further Information Write Office of the Assistant Secretary for Policy, Evaluation, and Research. Depart- ment of Labor, 200 Constitution Avenue, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20210.
