Department Of Labor Research Articles

“Fast money” around Federal Statistics Releases

AbstractMany public statistics are closely followed by the public as they provide valuable information for decision making. Although economic theory suggests that low‐latency traders (LLTs) can earn excess arbitrage profits from trading on public statistics releases due to their speed advantage, the empirical literature fails to find meaningful LLTs' stock market profits when trading on macroeconomic statistical releases. Here we confirm previous findings with improved techniques, but also show that excess profits can be earned quickly in agricultural commodity futures markets around United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) statistical releases. We attribute differences in the magnitude of the profits to the straightforward nature of the information and to the direct relevance of the reports to traders for the markets considered. Motivated by market concerns, USDA and the United States Department of Labor recently changed their news media prerelease lockup policy to mitigate LLTs' speed advantage. However, we find the policy change had little effect on the speed advantage as no significant reduction in LLTs' profits occurred. Implications of the research are relevant for government agencies concerned with mitigating LLT speed advantages particularly during the release of public statistical information.

Little To No Correlation Found Between Immigrant Entry And COVID-19 Infection Rates In The United States.

The relationship between immigrant entry and COVID-19 spread in the United States has driven much political discussion and policy, including the implementation of Title 42 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. To examine the relationship between COVID-19 spread and immigrant entry, we compared 2020-21 immigrant flows with local COVID-19 rates, using estimates of border crossings from the Border Patrol and visas issued through the Department of Labor's seasonal guest worker program. Our analysis capturing seasonal guest worker entry at the national level showed no statistically significant relationship with COVID-19 rates. Our analyses of Southwest border crossings showed a small, statistically significant relationship between immigrant flows and COVID-19 rates in border counties (0.14percent increase in local cases per 100,000 residents for each additional 100 immigrants). However, this estimate is modest compared with the fact that half of all month-to-month changes in case rates were greater than 59percent. Furthermore, the modest increase became nonsignificant with increasing local vaccination rates. Estimates also did not maintain their statistical significance when analyzed with some alternative approaches. Our findings support existing evidence that the short-term impacts of immigrant flow on local COVID-19 rates were minimal.

The institutional framework of construction safety management: A case study of Sri Lanka

The Sri Lankan construction sector continued to boom in the last decade reporting a 6.78 per cent growth in GDP in 2019. Nonetheless, construction accident statistics recorded 40 fatal and 59 non-fatal accidents in 2019. There is a serious lack of safety management in construction companies in Sri Lanka. The reason is largely attributable to the lack of an institutional mechanism to ensure accountability, planning, prioritising, reviewing, learning, and training for continuous improvement of safety. Therefore, it is necessary to explore the system of laws, regulations, and procedures, and stakeholders with their roles and norms that shape construction safety. The study explored how national level and industry level institutions are linked to construction safety management systems in Sri Lanka through document review and interviews with personnel from the Department of Labour, Construction Industry Development Authority, construction companies, professional bodies, and academic institutes. The Factories Ordinance, No. 45 of 1942 is the main legislation applied to construction safety enacted in the colonial period, thus, no improvements are made to industry -specific requirements and technological advancements. Neither, the Construction Industry Development Authority has any standards, guidelines, or codes of practices to conform to safety. Major construction companies align with international standards (ISO 9000, 14000; OHSAS 18000) to win major construction projects. It indirectly affects maintaining a safe work environment. Therefore, Sri Lanka needs to focus on an industry-level institutional mechanism to improve the safety management system. Further, support from educational and training institutes, trade associations, and professional bodies is necessary to push forward the importance of safety.

APA’s Government, Policy, and Advocacy Update (November 2022)

Back to table of contents Previous article Next article Government & LegalFull AccessAPA’s Government, Policy, and Advocacy Update (November 2022)Search for more papers by this authorPublished Online:25 Oct 2022https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.pn.2022.11.11.42APA Joins Letter to Senate on Prioritizing TelehealthAlong with dozens of other health care organizations and corporations, APA wrote a letter to Sens. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.), urging the Senate to pass a two-year extension of the telehealth flexibilities introduced during the COVID-19 public health emergency, while still pushing to make those flexibilities permanent. The letter notes that the House passed the Advancing Telehealth Beyond COVID-19 Act (HR 4040) in July, which extends coverage of telehealth services under Medicare until at least 2024. Currently, the flexibilities are due to expire 151 days after the public health emergency ends.“Virtual care is now a fundamental part of the U.S. health care system, and it will improve patient access to high-quality care and strengthen continuity of care well beyond the COVID-19 pandemic,” the letter states. “Telehealth is helping to address the crisis-level mental health, primary care, and other workforce shortages. Many underserved communities that historically have had limited access to care may now beam in additional support for their workforce as well as top specialists to help save lives and treat critically ill patients. Unfortunately, without statutory certainty for remote care, the hard work of building infrastructure, trust, and relationships with these communities is beginning to stall.”Letter to Sens. Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) and Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) Bill Would Allow Civil Monetary Penalties for MH Parity ViolationsSens. Chris Murphy (D-Conn.), Tina Smith (D-Minn.), and Ben Ray Luján (D-N.M.) introduced the Parity Enforcement Act of 2022 (S 4804). The APA-supported bill would allow the Department of Labor to issue civil monetary penalties against insurers and health plans that are not in compliance with the Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act of 2008.“Giving the Department of Labor the authority to impose civil monetary penalties on health plans and insurers for violating the parity law is a critical next step for improved accountability,” APA CEO and Medical Director Saul Levin, M.D., M.P.A., said in a news release on Murphy’s website. “The Department’s report to Congress earlier this year demonstrated that despite increased transparency, plans and insurers are still falling short of full compliance. We appreciate Senator Murphy’s continued efforts to ensure true mental health parity enforcement.”Murphy, Smith, Luján Introduce Legislation to Give the U.S. Department of Labor Authority to Enforce Mental Health Parity Laws APA Supports Increased Funding and Access to Treatment for Mental, Substance Use DisordersIn comments to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), APA emphasized the importance of ensuring access to mental and substance use disorder treatments by supporting coverage and appropriate reimbursement for services, such as those provided via telehealth (including audio only). The comments, signed by APA CEO and Medical Director Saul Levin, M.D., M.P.A., were made in response to CMS’s proposed rule on the 2023 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule and Quality Payment Program (APA Registers Concerns About Potential Cuts to Medicare Physician Payment). APA Supports Efforts to Expand Access to Care to Rural CommunitiesIn late August, APA responded to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ (CMS) proposed rule on Conditions of Participation (COP) for Rural Emergency Hospitals (REH) and Critical Access Hospital COP Updates. APA’s letter, signed by APA CEO and Medical Director Saul Levin, M.D., M.P.A., expresses APA’s support for the expansion of health care access in rural communities, while encouraging CMS to further support access to treatment for mental and substance use disorders through these hospitals.Levin highlighted the APA report “The Psychiatric Bed Crisis in the U.S.” in the letter to urge CMS to reconsider an exemption to the 24-hour average length of stay for patients needing inpatient psychiatric care, allowing them to stay in the emergency hospitals until a bed in a facility that most meets the needs of the patient is available. “Putting an artificial average time on patient stay may affect the care the most vulnerable patients are getting, leading to potentially life-threatening decisions,” Levin stated.APA also encouraged the coverage and reimbursement of outpatient treatment services for mental and substance use out of the REH to increase the availability of quality services in rural communities. “There is an opportunity to shore up existing outpatient services and facilitate the implementation of additional services not currently available in the community,” the letter states. ■APA’s letter ISSUES NewArchived

Optimizing Surgeon Longevity: Ergonomics in Robotic Surgery

<h3>Study Objective</h3> To describe the risk of physical injury to robotic surgeons and review optimal set up of the robotic console, bedside assistant, and uterine manipulator that decrease risk of a work-related injury. <h3>Design</h3> Video demonstration with narrated description. <h3>Setting</h3> Tertiary care academic teaching hospital. <h3>Patients or Participants</h3> Surgeons trained in robotic surgery. <h3>Interventions</h3> Ergonomically favorable operating room set up for the robotic console, bedside assistant, and uterine manipulator. <h3>Measurements and Main Results</h3> Per the US Labor Department, the highest incidence of work-related injuries is in healthcare. Prior research suggests robotic surgery is more ergonomically favorable in the upper back, shoulders, arms and wrists and mentally less stressful than conventional laparoscopy. However, over 50% of robotic surgeons have work related pain with less than 20% of all robotic surgeons having received formalized ergonomic training. This video reviews appropriate operating room set up for the robotic console, bedside assistant, and uterine manipulator along with common positioning and postural errors that may lead to physical strain. <h3>Conclusion</h3> In order to maximize career longevity and minimize work-related injuries, surgeons must understand the ergonomically correct set up that is recommended for the robotic console, bedside assistant, and uterine manipulator. Early adoption of these recommendations can help prevent physical injuries and should be an essential foundation of trainees' operative skills.

E-HRM USEFULNESS PERCEIVED BY JOHANNESBURG OFFICIALS AT THE DEPARTMENT OF EMPLOYMENT AND LABOR

In South Africa, most public sector institutions still employ the human resource management system traditional paperwork. Those who are transitioning from traditional human resource management into e-human resource management are experiencing numerous challenges. The article assesses the officials’ perceptions about the effectiveness of the e-HRM, an innovation within the Department of Employment and Labour that has been using a traditional human resource system for a long time. This study was conducted at the Department of Employment and Labour within the City of Johannesburg. The researchers used a quantitative research approach and obtained the primary data from 93 government officials. A questionnaire was used as a research instrument to collect data. Data were analysed using Statistical Package for Social Sciences. The study results show that e-HRM is a useful system that promotes the operational efficiency and effectiveness of the Johannesburg Department of Employment and Labour. Also, the study results show that the e-HRM helps the officials perform HR tasks. New results are expected to provide evidence regarding the implementation and usefulness of e-HRM within government institutions in South Africa. Furthermore, study results can be used as guidelines for the government when developing a framework that could provide for ongoing monitoring of e-HRM activities. The novelty of this study is the empirical input from different disciplines (HRM &amp; Public Administration), in a way that enables one to understand the role of e-HRM within the public sector institutions in South Africa.

Dynamics and structural features of employment in the United States of America

The purpose of the study is to identify trends and problems of employment in the United States . The main objectives of the article are defined in accordance with the stated goal : to study the dynamics of employment in the 21st century , to assess participation in the labor force by different age groups and socio-demographic characteristics , to consider the problems of youth employment , scientific and engineering personnel , to show the role of small business in providing employment , analyze gender and part-time employment issues in the US labor market . The paper uses the system , economic-statistical , logical , and comparative analysis approaches . The study is based on data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor . The relevance of the research topic is due to the fact that employment is an integral element of life that has a significant impact on both the socio-economic and political situation in the country and in the world . The analysis made it possible to identify current trends . Among the long-term challenges , there is a decline in the economic activity of the American population . The workforce is aging and transforming . Due to immigrants and the growth of the number of young racial-ethnic groups that identify themselves as multi-racial , there is a trend towards an increase in the multinationality of the United States . The most vulnerable groups of the population are youth , women , as well as people with a low level of education . The correlation between the level of education , unemployment and income is shown . One of the long-term trends is the growth of employment in sectors related to research , introduction of technological innovations and use of scientific and engineering knowledge .

Analysis of the Sustainability, Vulnerability, and Challenges of Aquaculture Livelihood Projects

Background: Aquaculture is the best source of sustainable livelihood for communities, as long as the technology is in place and environment friendly. The aquaculture in southern Negros Occidental continues to experience a crisis that includes this recent COVID-19 pandemic, in addition to rapid financial and structural changes and awareness of farming's enormous influence on ecosystem health. Oyster and fish cages farmers were familiar with and associated terms such as environmental protection, small-scale aquaculture, profitability, and productivity with sustainable oyster and fish production. Furthermore, the researcher, who has experience in the aquaculture industry, desires to investigate sustainability and recognizes this aquaculture owners/operators' vulnerability and challenges in their livelihood. Thus, the paper analyzed the sustainability, vulnerability, and challenges of aquaculture livelihood projects in Southern Negros. Methods: Using a descriptive quantitative research design, 50 aquaculture operators/owners answered a checklist questionnaire to analyze the sustainability, vulnerability, and challenges of aquaculture livelihood projects. Frequency count and percentage distribution were used in analyzing the quantitative data. Results: In human capital, the operators/owners have at least a high school graduate to engage in aquaculture livelihood and range 0-1 year of experience. They are aware of health and safety practices, and the skills they know are feeding and harvesting. They are sole workers, and the physical skill they perform is swimming. For natural capital, all operators/owners gained access to the Nanunga River permit from the Local Government Unit of Municipality of Hinigaran. The size of the fishing ground and fish pens is at 5x5meters, and they conduct monthly coastal cleaning for the maintenance of the surroundings. The timeline and growth and water sensitivity affect the timeline growth of the oyster shell and fish species, respectively. They are also given an action plan to prepare the climate change and initiate the monthly coastal cleanup to maintain cleanliness in the coastal. In terms of financial capital, the income of operators/owners is higher compared to expenses, debt, and taxes paid per harvest. As a result, they can set aside a net amount for savings. Also, they received support from the government every year. They were given a three-year projected financial statement to know the income, expenses, debt, savings, and taxes. Regarding social capital, the aquaculture livelihood helps their community by providing livelihood to their families, providing food supplies, and contributing to economic gain. The operators/owners are trusted, and they follow norms in the community. They are also involved in the monthly meetings to discuss the concerns about their aquaculture livelihood projects. They also avail of the financial assistance loan from the government through the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Pangkabuhayan Program. These imply scheduling a mandatory monthly meeting for the Aquaculture owners/operators, which is also open to the community. In physical capital, most operators/owners have fish pen infrastructure, fish boats, materials for oyster farming, and fish cage fishing. They also used electricity and fuel as a source of energy. They sent an application for financial aid to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to purchase new materials for Aquaculture. The major vulnerabilities are the Covid-19 pandemic, climate change, oil spills, seasonality, and technological changes. The major challenges that the Aquaculture operators/owners face are lack of knowledge, high/low tide, no preparation of unforeseen expenses, lack of participation among members in monthly association meetings, and cannot afford to purchase new materials for fish pens and fishing boats. Overall, the findings in the light of the Department for International Development (DFID) Sustainable Livelihood Framework, the results were validated as aquaculture livelihood projects are sustainable in terms of human, natural, financial, social, and physical capital. Conclusion: The aquaculture livelihood projects of aquaculture growers in Southern Negros were sustainable in terms of human, natural, financial, social, and physical capital. It shows that the aquaculture operators/owners have various knowledge and skills in the industry, preservation of water resources and cleanliness of coastal areas, more income and less expenses and debts growers, improve the economy and the people's standard of living and relationships and more fish pens infrastructure and increase of supplies of materials. Notwithstanding the existing vulnerabilities and challenges, the aquaculture livelihood projects were manageable and could easily cope with unforeseen events. Practical Value of the Paper: The local government agency may explore the possibility of assisting aquaculture livelihood projects in gathering information for periodic evaluation and monitoring of the financial status of aquaculture livelihood projects for reporting purposes. It is hoped that future researchers utilize this study as the basis for further research, especially studies focusing on the sustainability, vulnerability, and challenges of other livelihoods like agriculture industries. Also, the Aquaculture owners/operators can use the strategic plan to present to the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and other organizations to avail the financial assistance and funding in the future.

Moynihan Report Still Connected to Racist Practices in Psychiatry

Back to table of contents Previous article Next article ViewpointsFull AccessMoynihan Report Still Connected to Racist Practices in PsychiatryAnum Iqbal Baig, M.D., M.B.A., Ijeoma Ijeaku, M.D., M.P.H.Anum Iqbal BaigSearch for more papers by this author, M.D., M.B.A., Ijeoma IjeakuSearch for more papers by this author, M.D., M.P.H.Published Online:27 Sep 2022https://doi.org/10.1176/appi.pn.2022.10.10.36Daniel Moynihan, assistant secretary in the Department of Labor during the Lyndon B. Johnson administration, wrote a report in 1965 titled “The Negro Family: The Case for National Action,” better known as the Moynihan Report. According to an article in the June 24 Boston Review by Stephen Steinberg, Ph.D., distinguished emeritus professor at Queens College and the Graduate Center of the City University of New York, the Moynihan Report was written during the critical period when President Johnson planned to progress into “the next and more profound stage of the battle for civil rights” after the passage of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and Voting Rights Act of 1965. Those two pieces of legislation desegregated American society and granted Blacks both civil and voting rights. Some observers have viewed the Moynihan Report as claiming that dysfunctional family structure and culture are the roots of Black poverty. We suggest that racist policies and institutional racism are responsible for inequities in the distribution of wealth and other socioeconomic commodities. As a result, these pervasive racist policies continue to have adverse effects on Black mental health.The Moynihan Report focuses on the “crumbling family structure and urban ghetto culture” in Black communities as fundamental causal factors of economic and health care disparities. While family structure can affect the economic status of Black households, it is only one of several social and political factors with such influence. Moynihan vaguely alludes to these factors by noting that “three centuries of injustice have brought about deep-seated structural distortions in the life of the Negro American.” He then states that “a national effort towards the problem of Negro Americans must be directed towards the question of family structure.” Thus, the report oversimplifies this explanation and shifts the focus away from continued racist policies and cultural practices, which were chiefly responsible for contributing to inadequate Black employment.The Moynihan Report’s findings are undermined by the flawed argument that the “tangle of pathologies” are direct consequences of dysfunctional family structure, rather than a contributing factor to Black poverty. He concludes the report by stating that the U.S. federal government can attempt to solve this problem by creating programs “enhancing the stability and resources of the Negro American family.” According to an article in the June 30, 2015, In These Times by Daniel Geary, Ph.D., M.A., the ambiguous language used in the Moynihan Report allows its use by some to justify racism and its resulting economic inequalities, leading to damaging consequences. Geary is the Mark Pigott Associate Professor of U.S. History at Trinity College Dublin.The Moynihan Report is relevant today because of the continued presence of unresolved sociopolitical and economic issues mentioned therein. These matters continue to promote racism via racist policies that result in racial and health care disparities for Black people. Policies that perpetuate racial violence result in mistrust of the legal, political, and health care systems, thus leading to reduced access to mental health care. According to an article by Tahmi Perzichilli, M.S., L.P.C.C., posted May 7, 2020, in Counseling Today, the pervasive fear and mistrust of the health care system arise from historical reasons including the creation of “drapetomania” as a treatable mental illness that caused enslaved Blacks to want freedom, deinstitutionalization, use of the criminal justice system to control Blacks, and scientific racism. The unresolved sociopolitical and economic issues discussed in the Moynihan Report can be addressed through the enactment of anti-racist policies in every sphere of the American experience. Anti-racist policies are necessary to improve the overall well-being of Blacks as well as their access to mental health care. ■Resources“The Moynihan Report: The Negro Family, the Case for National Action”“The Moynihan Report at Fifty”“The Moynihan Report Is Turning 50. Its Ideas on Black Poverty Were Wrong Then and Are Now”“The Historical Roots of Racial Disparities in the Mental Health System”Anum Iqbal Baig, M.D., M.B.A., is a PGY-4 psychiatry resident and chief resident at the Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science. She is also a second-year APA/APAF Leadership Fellow and a member of the Southern California Psychiatric Society (SCPS) Diversity and Culture Committee.Ijeoma Ijeaku, M.D., M.P.H., is the immediate past president of the SCPS and chair of the Diversity and Culture Committee. She is also an associate clinical professor at UC Riverside School of Medicine. ISSUES NewArchived

Hannah Claire Haines, 1891–1974: Not the Average “Militant Female”

Hannah Claire Haines, 1891–1974: Not the Average “Militant Female”

Results of using patents in labor activity of foreign workers in Sverdlovsk oblast

The patent system for registration of employment of foreign workers in the domestic labor market is one of the mechanisms for their work regulation. Its introduction was preceded by preparatory work, analysis of the practice of using such tools in foreign experience. At present, there have been accumulated data that allow us to evaluate the results and develop solutions for their improvement on the basis of regional data. The purpose of the study is to analyze the effectiveness of using the system of patents for foreign workers in the labor market of Sverdlovsk oblast, as well as the revenues to the regional budget to develop recommendations for theirs increase. Analysis of data from the Department of Labor and Employment, comparison of expenses and income from the use of patents in Sverdlovsk oblast was chosen as the main research method. The results of the study show that there are reserves to improve the efficiency of the use of patents, as well as to increase tax revenues from foreign workers. According to indirect data, it can be concluded that there is an increase in the number of cases of illegal employment of foreign citizens in the territory of Sverdlovsk oblast and an increase in the number of forged documents (including documents confirming the payment of tax), which negatively affects the effectiveness of the use of patents. There is a need for reorganization of the mechanism for using patents for foreign workers, a closer integration of the state authorities of the region to maximize the effect of the use of this category of labor resources. Consolidation of responsibility for regulating the labor market of foreign workers in one supervising authority requires a separate study, now it is "scattered" over several structures that does not allow them to fully analyze and improve the efficiency of using patents.

Changing attitudes about workplace violence: Improving safety in an acute care environment.

The United States Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) defines workplace violence (WPV) as any act or threat of physical violence, harassment, intimidation, or other threatening disruptive behavior that occurs at the work site. OSHA recognizes that WPV ranges from threats and verbal abuse to physical assaults and even homicide. There are no OSHA standards specifically related to WPV however the General Duty Clause, Section 5(a)(1) of the OSHA Act of 1970, requires employers to provide a workplace that is free of conditions that could cause death or serious harm to employees. The Joint Commission published standards in 2022 related to WPV. The standards require a proactive analysis of the organization relative to WPV. Monitoring of events and training of staff are also required. This article will explore one hospital's journey to understand the frequency and types of violence experienced by nurses in the facility; implement evidence-based strategies to mitigate violence in the hospital; maintain compliance with regulatory and accrediting bodies; and most importantly, to protect our staff from harm.

RECONSTRUCTING OFFICIAL STATISTICS: A NEW ESTIMATE OF THE ARGENTINE COST OF LIVING INDEX, 1912-1943

ABSTRACTThis paper produces a new estimate of the Argentine cost of living index (COLI) for the period 1912-1943 that amends the oversights of the official series. The lack of an appropriate splice when the shares of the index's components are changed explains the divergence between the official and the Reconstructed COLIs. The 17.3 percentage-point gap for the period 1912-1943 between the official series used by the historiography and the Reconstructed COLI accounts for the oversights of the official estimate. This divergence is also evidenced when generating real wages. Hence, when Juan Domingo Perón arrived at the National Labour Department in 1943, all else being equal, workers of the City of Buenos Aires were worse off economically than the historiography assumes.

AFFIRMATIVE ACTION FOR SOUTH AFRICAN CITIZENS: THE ROLE OF THE DEPARTMENT OF LABOUR

In the Auf der Heyde case the Labour Appeal Court held that in the South African context affirmative action should be limited to South African citizens. In this article the author evaluates the case and concludes that this interpretation by the Labour Appeal Court is acceptable in the historical context of the country. The main focus of the article is on the role of the Department of Labour in this regard. The Department provided certain guidelines concerning the issue of citizenship in the context of affirmative action. These guidelines are important but unfortunately not clear. The author recommends that the Department takes a clear policy decision with a view to ensuring that South African citizens are preferred in terms of affirmative action policies.

The Labor Angle: Reflections on the History of the Working-Class and Radical Press

The Labor Angle: Reflections on the History of the Working-Class and Radical Press

Conflicting Interests and the Effect of Fiduciary Duty: Evidence from Variable Annuities

Abstract We examine the variable annuity market to study conflicts of interest and the effect of fiduciary duty in brokerage markets. Insurers typically pay brokers higher commissions for selling more expensive annuities. Our results indicate that sales are four times as sensitive to brokers’ interests as to investors’. To limit conflicts of interest, the Department of Labor proposed a rule in 2016 holding brokers to a fiduciary standard. We find that after the proposal, sales of high-expense products fell by 52$\%$ as sales became more sensitive to expenses. Based on our structural estimates, investor welfare improved overall. Authors have furnished an Internet Appendix, which is available on the Oxford University Press Web site next to the link to the final published paper online.

Investigating Machine Learning Applications in the Prediction of Occupational Injuries in South African National Parks

There is a need to predict occupational injuries in South African National Parks for the purpose of implementing targeted interventions or preventive measures. Machine-learning models have the capability of predicting injuries such that the employees that are at risk of experiencing occupational injuries can be identified. Support Vector Machines (SVMs), k Nearest Neighbours (k-NN), XGB classifier and Deep Neural Networks were applied and overall performance was compared to the accuracy of baseline models that always predict low extremity injuries. Data extracted from the Department of Employment and Labour’s Compensation Fund was used for training the models. SVMs had the best performance in predicting between low extremity injuries and injuries in the torso and hands regions. However, the overall accuracy was 56%, which was slightly above the baseline and below findings from similar previous research that reported a minimum of 62%. Gender was the only feature with an importance score significantly greater than zero. There is a need to use more features related to work conditions and which acknowledge the importance of environment in order to improve the accuracy of the predictions of the models. Furthermore, more types of injuries, and employees that have not experienced any injuries, should be included in future studies.

APA’s Government, Policy, and Advocacy Update (August 2022)

APA’s Government, Policy, and Advocacy Update (August 2022)

The Coevolution of Tasks and Technologies

As work changes, so does technology. The two coevolve as part of a work ecosystem. This paper suggests a way of plotting this coevolution by comparing the embeddings - high dimensional vector representations - of textual descriptions of tasks, occupations and technologies. Tight coupling between tasks and technologies - measured by the distances between vectors - are shown to be associated with high task importance. Moreover, tasks that are more prototypical in an occupation are more important. These conclusions were reached through an analysis of the 2020 data release of The Occupational Information Network (O*NET) from the U.S. Department of Labor on 967 occupations and 19,533 tasks. One occupation, journalism, is analyzed in depth, and conjectures are formed related to the ways technologies and tasks evolve through both design and exaptation.

Advocates call for expanded authority at US Labor Department to enforce parity

Seeing insufficient protection for consumers against insurer violations of the federal mental health parity law, mental health advocates are calling on Congress to strengthen the U.S. Department of Labor's authority to impose penalties for failure to comply.