Congressional Research Service Reports - 49 Matching Results
Search Results
- The International Labor Organization (ILO): Background in Brief
- This report discusses the International Labor Organization (ILO), and describes the ILO's mission, structure, and functions; presents case studies on how the ILO offers assistance to countries in promoting worker rights; and identifies issues for Congress.
- Immigration of Agricultural Guest Workers: Policy, Trends, and Legislative Issues
- This report discusses the revision of U.S. immigration policy on agricultural guest workers that are coming from various perspectives, and several major bills have already been introduced in the 107th Congress
- Immigration of Foreign Workers: Labor Market Tests and Protections
- This report discusses §1611, the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, which requires companies receiving Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP) funding to comply with the more rigorous labor market rules of H-1B dependent companies if they hire foreign workers on H-1B visas.
- How Much Slack Remains in the Labor Market?
- The amount of "slack" in the labor market--jobless or underemployed workers--has consequences for the appropriate stance of monetary policy, the future path of the budget deficit, and counter-cyclical spending on programs such as unemployment insurance. This report briefly examines this concept in the context of the current economy.
- Unionism and Collective Bargaining for Agricultural Workers: A Selective Bibliography
- This report provides a bibliography of resources related to unions for agricultural cultural workers and their activities.
- The Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA): Reauthorization of Job Training Programs in the 109th Congress
- This report discusses the Workforce Investment Act of 1998 (WIA), P.L. 105-220, which is the nation’s chief job training legislation, authorizes several job training programs, including Youth, Adult, and Dislocated Worker Activities; and Job Corps.
- Job Loss: Causes and Policy Implications
- Job loss is one of the most important macroeconomic problems facing policymakers, both in terms of its economic and social cost. This report discusses factors that cause job loss and the policy implications.
- Apprenticeship in the United States: Frequently Asked Questions
- This Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) report focuses on the Registered Apprenticeship system, through which the U.S. Department of Labor (or a recognized state apprenticeship agency) certifies a program as meeting certain federal requirements related to duration, intensity, and benefit to the apprentice. The report also discusses federal programs for which supporting apprenticeship activities is an allowable, but not required, use of funds.
- The Use of Labor Union Dues for Political Purposes: A Legal Analysis
- By virtue of Section 224 of the USA PATRIOT Act, P.L. 107-56 (2001), several of the act’s amendments to the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act, 50 U.S.C. 1801-1862, and the Electronic Communications Privacy Act, 18 U.S.C. 2510-2522, 2701-2712, 3121-3127, were scheduled to expire on December 31, 2005, 115 Stat. 295 (2001). S. 2167 postpones the expiration dates of those provisions and of Section 6001 of the Intelligence Reform and Terrorism Prevention Act of 2004 (“lone wolf” amendment), 118 Stat. 3742 (2004), until February 3, 2006.
- Immigration: Nonimmigrant H-1B Specialty Worker Issues and Legislation
- The 105 Congress is once again considering legislation pertaining to temporary alien workers, striving to balance the needs of U.S. employers with opportunities for U.S. workers. The largest category of these temporary alien workers are the H-1B nonimmigrants — professionals who work in specialty occupations. For the first time, the numerical limits on H-1B visas were reached prior to the end of FY1997, and the FY1998 ceiling was reached in May. Employers in “high tech” industries especially are urging Congress to eliminate the ceiling of 65,000, and legislation raising the H-1B ceiling as well as addressing other reforms has passed the Senate (S.1723).
- Trafficking in Women and Children: The U.S. and International Response
- No Description Available.
- A Shortage of Registered Nurses: Is It on the Horizon or Already Here?
- The largest traditionally female-dominated health care occupation is registered nurses (RNs). It has been asserted that there is an ongoing nationwide shortage of RNs of various kinds and in various sectors of the health care services industry. Before the latest (mid-2002) release of supply-demand projections from the U.S. Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), it was estimated, based in whole or part on 1996 HRSA projections, that there would likely be a shortage of RNs in 2007 or shortly thereafter. This report first will analyze recent trends in the RN labor market and then examine HRSA’s new projections, which moved up the date of an RN shortage to 2000.
- The Fair Labor Standards Act: A Historical Sketch of the Overtime Pay Requirements of Section 13(a)(1)
- This report sketches the evolution of the Section 13(a)(1) regulation and explores the arguments, pro and con, that it has encountered.
- Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC08): Status of Benefits Prior to Expiration
- This report summarizes the structure of Emergency Unemployment Compensation (EUC08) benefits available prior to program expiration at the end of calendar year 2013 and provides the legislative history of the EUC08 program.
- Workers' Compensation: Overview and Issues
- This report discusses workers' compensation, which provides cash and medical benefits to workers who are injured or become ill in the course of their employment and provides benefits to the survivors of workers killed on the job. Benefits are provided without regard to fault and are the exclusive remedy for workplace injuries, illnesses, and deaths.
- Labor Day Speech Resources: Fact Sheet
- This report provides Members of Congress with resources for information and speech samples for use at Labor Day celebrations.
- Compensated Work Sharing Arrangements (Short-Time Compensation) as an Alternative to Layoffs
- This report describes short-term compensation (STC) as a beneficial alternative to layoffs. It also describes the status of STC (or work sharing) in the U.S., particularly as it varies from state to state.
- The Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act
- This report reviews the Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act (PSEECA) and discusses the possible impact of the legislation. The report also identifies existing state laws that recognize collective bargaining rights for public safety employees, and considers the constitutional concerns raised by the measure.
- Unauthorized Aliens' Access to Federal Benefits: Policy and Issues
- This report focuses on the policy and legislative debate surrounding unauthorized aliens' access to federal benefits.
- Free Trade Agreements with Singapore and Chile: Labor Issues
- This report discusses the United States free trade agreements with Singapore and Chile that include labor provisions.
- The Fair Labor Standards Act Amendments of 1977 Discussion With Historical Background
- This report presents a brief history of the Act, discusses the major changes made by the 95th Congress (or, in some instances, considered but not adopted), and suggests certain sources which might be useful in providing a reader with diverse interpretations of the Act and its impact.
- Conversion from the National Security Personnel System to Other Pay Schedules: Issues for Congress
- This report focuses on the transition of employees from National Security Personnel System (NSPS) to non-NSPS pay systems. It does not address the operation of NSPS or other pay schedules. The report discusses how the transition is scheduled to occur and analyzes congressional options for oversight or legislative action.
- Polygraph Testing of Employees In Private Industry
- No Description Available.
- Polygraph Testing: Employee and Employer Rights
- No Description Available.
- Unauthorized Aliens Residing in the United States: Estimates Since 1986
- This report discusses a rise in the unauthorized resident ("illegal") alien population from 1986 to 2010. It looks at reasons that illegal aliens stay resort to breaking the law and how illegal aliens affect the workforce in certain industries.
- Unemployment and Economic Recovery
- This report examines the relationship between economic growth and the unemployment rate to anticipate possible future developments.
- Employer Liability Provisions in Selected Patient Protection Bills
- In the various patient protection bills introduced in the 106th (H.R. 5628, S.Amdt. 3694, H.R. 2990) and to date in the 107th (H.R. 526, H.R. 2315, H.R. 2563, S. 889, S. 1052), Congress has attempted to address the issue of employer liability by limiting liability to certain persons or circumstances. This report provides an overview of the employer liability provisions of selected bills from the 106th and 107th Congress.
- Unemployment Compensation (Insurance) and Military Service
- The Unemployment Compensation (UC) program contains several provisions relevant to current and former military service personnel and their families. The UC program does not provide benefits for military servicemembers on active duty. However, former active duty military personnel (and certain reservists) separated from active duty may be eligible for Unemployment Compensation for Ex-Servicemembers (UCX). Spouses of military service personnel who voluntarily quit a job to accompany their spouses on account of a military transfer may be eligible for UC benefits, based on the laws of the state where the civilian spouse was employed. States may choose to create provisions that remove or limit these tax increases in certain situations.
- Homeland Security and Labor-Management Relations: NTEU v. Chertoff
- This report examines the opinions of the district court and court of appeals in National Treasury Employees Union (“NTEU”) v. Chertof.
- Steel: Legacy Cost Issue
- No Description Available.
- Immigration-Related Worksite Enforcement: Performance Measures
- This report discusses the Department of Homeland Security's (DHS) U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) responsibilities in regard to immigration-related worksite enforcement, or enforcement of the prohibitions on unauthorized employment in Section 274A of the Immigration and Nationality Act (INA). The INA §274A provisions, sometimes referred to as employer sanctions, make it unlawful for an employer to knowingly hire, recruit or refer for a fee, or continue to employ an alien who is not authorized to be so employed. This report looks at enforcement measures of this act.
- Trafficking in Persons and U.S. Foreign Policy Responses in the 114th Congress
- This report provides an overview of recent global trends and U.S. foreign policy responses to address human trafficking. The report focuses in particular on efforts conducted by the State Department's Office to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons (J/TIP) and the President's Interagency Task Force (PITF) on human trafficking, as well as discussion of the 2016 TIP Report.
- Trafficking in Persons: U.S. Policy and Issues for Congress
- This report focuses on human trafficking both internationally and within the United States. The report begins with an overview of human trafficking including a discussion of the definition of human trafficking, the scope of the problem globally, and an examination of the victims. It follows with an analysis of global antitrafficking efforts by the United States and the international community. The report then focuses on trafficking into and within the United States, examining relief for trafficking victims in the United States and discussing U.S. law enforcement efforts to combat domestic trafficking. The report concludes with an overview of antitrafficking legislation in the 110th Congress, and an analysis of policy issues related to human trafficking.
- Homeland Security: Human Resources Management
- This report provides information about the Human Resources Management of Homeland Security. It discusses the provisions of P.L. 107-296 as they relate to human resources management. It does not discuss provisions of the law that relate to labor-management relations and collective bargaining.
- Trafficking in Persons: International Dimensions and Foreign Policy Issues for Congress
- This report explores current foreign policy issues confronting U.S. efforts to combat human trafficking, the interrelationship among existing polices, and the historical and current role of Congress in such efforts. Given recent challenges in balancing budget priorities, the 112th Congress may choose to consider certain aspects of this issue further, including the effectiveness of international anti-trafficking projects, interagency coordination mechanisms, and the monitoring and enforcement of anti-trafficking regulations, particularly as they relate to the activities of U.S. government contractors and subcontractors operating overseas.
- Trafficking in Persons: U.S. Policy and Issues for Congress
- This report focuses on international and domestic human trafficking and U.S. policy responses, with particular emphasis on the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (TVPA) and its subsequent reauthorizations.
- Private Health Insurance Continuation Coverage
- No Description Available.
- Treatment of Workers with Disabilities Under Section 14(c) of the Fair Labor Standards Act
- No Description Available.
- The Comprehensive and Employment and Training Act of 1973, As Amended; A Brief Summary
- This report contains the conditions of the Comprehensive and Employment and Training Act of 1973.
- Sex Trafficking of Children in the United States: Overview and Issues for Congress
- Report concerning Congressional attention on the domestic sex trafficking of children.
- Sri Lanka: Background and U.S. Relations
- Sri Lanka is a constitutional democracy with relatively high educational and social standards. Under Sri Lanka’s hybrid parliamentary model, an elected president appoints the cabinet in consultation with the prime minister. The country’s political, social, and economic development has been seriously constrained by ethnic conflict between the majority Sinhalese and minority Tamil ethnic groups.
- The Persian Gulf States: Issues for U.S. Policy, 2006
- The U.S.-led war to overthrow Saddam Hussein virtually ended Iraq’s ability to militarily threaten the region, but it has produced new and un-anticipated security challenges for the Persian Gulf states (Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, Oman, and the United Arab Emirates). The Gulf states, which are all led by Sunni Muslim regimes, fear that Shiite Iran is unchecked now that Iraq is strategically weak. The Gulf states strongly resent that pro-Iranian Shiite Muslim groups and their Kurdish allies (who are not Arabs) have obtained preponderant power within Iraq.
- Pay Compatibility for Federal White-Collar Workers
- This report reviews the Congress's decision to freeze federal pay for one year as part of the budget resolution for the year, 1986. It discusses the standards to determine the Federal pay rate and the levels of pay that are set in place in the Federal government.
- Appropriations for FY2003: Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education
- Appropriations are one part of a complex federal budget process that includes budget resolutions, appropriations (regular, supplemental, consolidated, and continuing) bills, rescissions, and budget reconciliation bills. This report is a guide to one of the 13 regular appropriations bills that Congress considers each year. It is designed to supplement the information provided by the House and Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Subcommittees.
- Appropriations for FY2001: Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education
- Appropriations are one part of a complex federal budget process that includes budget resolutions, appropriations (regular, supplemental, and continuing) bills, rescissions, and budget reconciliation bills. This report is a guide to one of the 13 regular appropriations bills that Congress passes each year. It is designed to supplement the information provided by the House and Senate Appropriations Subcommittees on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education.
- Appropriations for FY2004: Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education
- Appropriations are one part of a complex federal budget process that includes budget resolutions, appropriations (regular, supplemental, and continuing) bills, rescissions, and budget reconciliation bills. This Report is a guide to one of the 13 regular appropriations bills that Congress passes each year. It is designed to supplement the information provided by the House and Senate Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Appropriations Subcommittees.
- Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education: FY2006 Appropriations
- This report is a guide to one of the regular appropriations bills that Congress considers each year. It is designed to supplement the information provided by the House and Senate Appropriations Subcommittees on Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education, and Related Agencies. It summarizes the status of the bill, its scope, major issues, funding levels, and related congressional activity, and is updated as events warrant.
- Iran: U.S. Concerns and Policy Responses
- the potential threat posed by Iran, at times pursuing limited engagement directly or through allies, and at other times leaning toward pursuing efforts to change Iran’s regime. Some believe a potential international crisis is looming over Iran’s nuclear program because a U.S.-supported effort by three European nations to prevent an Iranian nuclear breakout is faltering.
- Settling Transportation Labor Disputes: Present Procedures, and Changes proposed by the Nixon Administration
- This report addresses settling transport labor disputes, present procedures, and changes proposed by the Nixon administration.