Abstracts – Browse Results
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Goh, Y L (2004) The effect of higher workers' compensation premium rates on construction worker wages and the reporting of injuries, Unpublished PhD Thesis, , The University of Utah.
- Type: Thesis
- Keywords: working conditions; injury; wages; construction worker; construction contractor
- ISBN/ISSN:
- URL: https://www.proquest.com/docview/305133953
- Abstract:
This thesis examines the relationship between higher workers' compensation premium rates and workers' wages through the prism of construction contractors attempting to defray higher premium rates by passing on some of those costs either through lower wages or by the underreporting of injuries. Contrary to other research, higher workers' compensation premium rates have a greater negative effect on union workers' wages compared to nonunion workers' wages. This research is the first to examine the effect of workers' compensation premiums on wages by ethnicity. Hispanic workers' wages are more negatively affected by increased workers' compensation premiums compared to non-Hispanic workers' wages. Union Hispanic workers' wages experience the largest negative effect from increases in workers' compensation premium rates, whereas nonunion, non-Hispanic workers' wages experience the smallest negative wage effect. These differential results are explained by bargaining power differences by group and also in terms of the differential susceptibility of each group to the underreporting or misclassification of their injuries. In order to measure the relative degree of underreporting of injuries, this dissertation also examines the relative likelihood of receiving workers' compensation benefits by union-nonunion and Hispanic-non-Hispanic status. Controlling for the differences in injury rates by occupation, union workers are more likely to receive workers' compensation benefits than nonunion workers; and non-Hispanic workers are more likely to receive workers' compensation benefits than Hispanic workers. Among these groupings, nonunion Hispanic workers have least possibility of receiving benefits and union non-Hispanic workers are most likely to receive workers' compensation benefits. Because even uninjured workers are bearing at least some of the costs of increased workers' compensation premiums, workers have (or should have) interest in lowering workers' compensation premium rates through safer working practices. Even non-injured workers have an incentive to have safer working conditions because it is costing them money as well as exposing them to risk. Underreporting to the extent that is exists dampens the incentives of unhurt workers to work safer because underreporting concentrates the cost of injuries on those who are injured and minimizes the costs to the uninjured, particularly those do not think they will become injured.
Holumyong, C (2007) The differential impact of unemployment and the receipt of unemployment benefits between native and foreign born workers in the United States construction industry, Unpublished PhD Thesis, , The University of Utah.
Kim, J (2007) Health insurance and workers' retention in the construction industry, Unpublished PhD Thesis, , The University of Utah.
Li, S (2006) Three essays on bidding in the construction industry, Unpublished PhD Thesis, , The University of Utah.
Price, M (2005) State prevailing wage laws and construction labor markets, Unpublished PhD Thesis, , The University of Utah.