In France, career paths are negotiated not just on the industry level but also within companies. Since the passage in 1982 of the Auroux Laws, which require companies to undertake annual negotiations regarding real wages, real working hours, and the organization of work time, there has been a trend toward creation of individualized career paths.…

This document presents the following monthly statistical data for the population of United States: (1) employment status; (2) characteristics of the unemployed; (3) characteristics of the employed and their job categories; (4) seasonally adjusted employment and unemployment; (5) national employment; (6) employment in states and areas; (7) national…

Labor force participation rates for the years 1967 and 1987 indicate a significant trend toward early retirement by men (beginning in their fifties). Women in their fifties, on the other hand, have increased their labor force participation rate. By the age of 60, however, their labor force participation rates also decline sharply. Although this…

The relationship between training and the employment of women in the 12 countries of the European Union (EU) was examined. An analysis of the distribution of the female population by training levels revealed that women in the Netherlands, Germany, and Denmark generally had the highest overall levels of training, whereas women in Spain and Portugal…

The French vocational baccalaureat was created in response to labor market changes and technological innovations of the early 1980s. Unlike France's general and technical baccalaureats, the vocational baccalaureat normally guarantees immediate entry into working life. It is generally prepared for in 2 years after an initial period of vocational…

The validity of the notion that welfare receipt is equivalent to "dependency" and work represents "self-sufficiency" was examined in a qualitative study during which 214 recipients of Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC) and 165 low-wage single mothers in 4 U.S. cities were interviewed. The women were contacted…

Women comprised 43% of the United States labor force in 1980, up from 29% in 1950. The surge in women's employment is linked to more delayed marriage, divorce, separation, women's increased education, lower fertility, rapid growth in clerical and service jobs, inflation, and changed attitudes toward "women's place." Employment has risen…

Changing workplaces offer opportunities for workers and companies that are flexible and willing to learn and adapt. Some trends in the changing workplace include the following; (1) downsizing among companies is decreasing; (2) companies are creating jobs while eliminating other jobs; (3) economic factors are as likely to create jobs as eliminate…

Sex-related differences between the employment opportunities available in France to males and females with comparable levels of education were examined through an analysis of data from two types of sources: statistics derived from quantitative surveys conducted on broad samples of graduates 2-4 years after the end of their training and in-depth…

Information about the career progression, personal traits, attitudes, and employment experiences of women principals in Further Education (FE) colleges in the United Kingdom was gathered from the following: literature search; questionnaire sent to all 68 female principals in the United Kingdom (response rate, 76%); and structured interviews with a…

The proportion of individuals with little training varies greatly among European countries. Throughout Europe, nonparticipation in the labor market and unemployment seem relatively synonymous. Three degrees of labor market openness with regard to individuals with low levels of training are apparent throughout Europe: (1) in Portugal, skill…

These six bulletins examine various aspects of women's employment in the European Union (EU). In the first bulletin, the different positions of women in the labor markets of the individual EU member countries are demonstrated to mirror the roles of women in each country's family and welfare system. The problems of unemployment and underemployment…

In both France and the United States, restaurants remain the hotel and catering sector's main employer. In France, 25% of hotel and catering personnel are self-employers versus fewer than 5% in the United States; however, the growth of hotel and restaurant chains in France may eventually limit opportunities for creating an independent activity.…

In this issue various concepts of economic change are examined. Part I looks at economic change as a context for focusing on workforce issues. Parts II and III discuss what is being done to address this contemporary problem. This issue contains the following papers: "Presidential Perspectives on Economic Change and Restructuring: An…

The different situations confronting young labor market entrants in different European countries may be described in terms of the following models: (1) the conditions of labor market entry are basically tied to the nature of the qualification acquired in initial training, experience accumulated in the labor market plays a very secondary role, and…