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Back to Work: United States

Improving the Re-employment Prospects of Displaced Workers

Job displacement (involuntary job loss due to firm closure or downsizing) affects many workers over their lifetime. Displaced workers may face long periods of unemployment and, even when they find new jobs, tend to be paid less and have fewer benefits than in their prior jobs. Helping them get back into good jobs quickly should be a key goal of labour market policy. This report is part of a series of nine reports looking at how this challenge is being tackled in a number of OECD countries. It shows that the United States has a relatively high rate of job displacement and that only one in two affected workers find a new job within one year. Older displaced workers and those with a low level of education fare worst. Contrary to most other OECD countries, displaced workers have long been a target group for policy intervention, and a number of system features, like rapid response services, are promising. But the success of US policies is limited because overall funding for the workforce development system is insufficient and because only trade-related job displacement comes with generous entitlement for training and better benefits.

Published on December 05, 2016

In series:Back to Workview more titles

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Foreword
Acronyms and abbreviations
Executive summary
Assessment and recommendations
Job displacement in the United States and its consequences
Early intervention and prevention of job displacement in the United States
Access to and adequacy of income support for displaced workers in the United States
Programmes promoting the re-employment of displaced workers in the United States
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