Employer responses to changes in the labor force

This project studied the benefits currently offered by employers in relation to the composition of their employee populations. The 263 respondents answered questions relating to the benefits they receive, their job satisfaction, and other aspects of their work and personal situations. The occupations and industries of the sample population were statistically representative of census data for the nation. Spearman's rank correlation coefficient and Friedman's two-way analysis of variance by ranks were used for the statistical tests of association and significance. Primary findings of the study indicate that larger employers and higher paid positions offer more progressive and flexible benefits. Leave options, such as maternity, paternity, and personal, are offered to employees in higher occupational levels that currently employ large percentages of women. Gender stratification of occupations and fields was found to be intact, with men employed in traditionally male-dominated jobs and women in female-dominated jobs and fields. Income differentials between industries and occupations typically dominated by gender were also found to persist. A discussion of different types of benefits, from traditional to progressive, is included. The application of this study rests with the analysis of the types and uses of different benefits. Illustration of the breadth of coverage, in terms of population and benefits themselves, is useful to policy makers and organizations studying trends in employee benefits in order to propose or initiate changes.