Working and Poor: How Economic and Policy Changes Are Affecting Low-Wage Workers

Contents

Contents CONTRIBUTORS vii Introduction WORK AND POVERTY DURING THE PAST QUARTER-CENTURY Rebecca M. Blank, Sheldon H. Danziger, and Robert F. Schoeni 1 PART I WHAT IS CHANGING IN THE LABOR MARKET FOR LOW-SKILLED WORKERS, AND WHY? 21 Chapter 1 EXPLORING GENDER DIFFERENCES IN EMPLOYMENT AND WAGE TRENDS AMONG LESS-SKILLED WORKERS Rebecca M. Blank and Heidi Shierholz 23 Chapter 2 WAGE TRENDS AMONG DISADVANTAGED MINORITIES George J. Borjas 59 PART II HOW DO ECONOMIC TRENDS AFFECT LESS-SKILLED WORKERS? 87 Chapter 3 THE MACROECONOMY AND DETERMINANTS OF THE EARNINGS OF LESS-SKILLED WORKERS Robert E. Hall 89 Chapter 4 THE IMPACT OF TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE ON LOW-WAGE WORKERS: A REVIEW David Card and John DiNardo 113 Chapter 5 THE CHANGING PATTERN OF WAGE GROWTH FOR LOW-SKILLED WORKERS Eric French, Bhashkar Mazumder, and Christopher Taber 141 PART III HOW DO MACROECONOMIC CHANGES INFLUENCE WELL-BEING MEASURES BEYOND INCOME? 173 Chapter 6 THE LEVEL AND COMPOSITION OF CONSUMPTION OVER THE BUSINESS CYCLE: THE ROLE OF “QUASI-FIXED” EXPENDITURES Kerwin Kofi Charles and Melvin Stephens Jr. 175 Chapter 7 RECENT TRENDS IN RESOURCE SHARING AMONG THE POOR Steven J. Haider and Kathleen McGarry 205 Chapter 8 ECONOMIC CONDITIONS AND CHILDREN’S LIVING ARRANGEMENTS Rebecca A. London and Robert W. Fairlie 233 PART IV HOW DO POLICY CHANGES INTERACT WITH THE ECONOMY AND ECONOMIC WELL-BEING? 263 Chapter 9 HOW DO TAX POLICIES AFFECT LOW-INCOME WORKERS? Kevin A. Hassett and Anne Moore 265 Chapter 10 STATE SPENDING ON SOCIAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS OVER THE BUSINESS CYCLE Therese J. McGuire and David F. Merriman 289 Chapter 11 TEMPORARY AGENCY EMPLOYMENT: A WAY OUT OF POVERTY? David Autor and Susan Houseman 312 Chapter 12 CHILD SUPPORT AND THE ECONOMY Maria Cancian and Daniel R. Meyer 338 Chapter 13 UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE OVER THE BUSINESS CYCLE: DOES IT MEET THE NEEDS OF LESS-SKILLED WORKERS? Phillip B. Levine 366 Chapter 14 HOW IS HEALTH INSURANCE AFFECTED BY THE ECONOMY? PUBLIC AND PRIVATE COVERAGE AMONG LOW-SKILLED ADULTS IN THE 1990S Helen Levy 396 INDEX 427 ...