Wage Inequality and Labor Rights Violations

Arbeitspapier

Wage inequality does not fully capture differences in job quality. Jobs also differ along other key dimensions, including the prevalence of labor rights violations. We construct novel measures of labor violation rates using data from federal agencies. Within local industries over time, a 10% increase in the average wage is associated with a 0.15% decrease in the number of violations per employee and a 4% decrease in fines per dollar of pay. Reduced labor market concentration and increased union coverage rate are also associated with reductions in labor violations. Overall, labor violations are regressive: they increase inequality in job quality.

Object Details

• Language: Englisch

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: Series: IZA Discussion Papers ; No. 14112

Classification and Topics

• Classification: Wirtschaft ; Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials ; Labor Standards: Workers' Rights ; Nonwage Labor Costs and Benefits; Retirement Plans; Private Pensions ; Compensation Packages; Payment Methods ; Safety; Job Satisfaction; Related Public Policy ; Labor Law ; Illegal Behavior and the Enforcement of Law
• Subject: wage differentials ; inequality ; worker power ; labor rights

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Geistige Schöpfung
• (who): Marinescu, Ioana E. ; Qiu, Yue ; Sojourner, Aaron
• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (who): Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)
• (where): Bonn
• (when): 2021

Further information

• Handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10419/232864
• Last update: 10.03.2025, 11:42 AM CET