Perspectives on Labour and Income

Summer 2006

The Summer 2006 edition of Perspectives on Labour and Income contains six articles, all of which have appeared previously in its online edition.

The article "Does it pay to go back to school?" reveals that the benefits of adult education in terms of increased earnings are substantial, but only for those who get a postsecondary certificate.

The article "Who gets student loans?" looks at how well the Canada Student Loans Program (CSLP) is targeted to low-income youth and to what extent the amount of the loan reflects the level of financial need. The article finds that CSLP loans are well targeted by level of parental income.

The article "Cracking the RRSP nest egg" examines the income and tax effects of mandatory conversion of registered retirement savings plans across different groups.

The article "On sick leave" looks at the population of employees who take long-term absences (two weeks or longer) due to personal or work-related illness or disability, examining their situation before and after the absence.

The article "Screening job applicants" explores the prevalence and trends in the use of security checks, medical examinations, and drug tests in the hiring process, looking at variations by industry, occupation, workplace size, and selected worker characteristics.

The article "Unemployment since 1971" compares unemployment rates by educational attainment from 1971 to 2005 and reveals that the chances of being unemployed are worse today than they were 30 years ago, especially for those with a low level of education.

This edition also features updates on work absences and retirement. The What's New? section highlights recent studies of interest from Statistics Canada and other organizations.

The Summer 2006 issue of Perspectives on Labour and Income, Vol. 18, no. 2 (75-001-XPE, $20/$63) is now available. For more information, contact Henry Pold (613-951-4608; henry.pold@statcan.gc.ca), Labour and Household Surveys Analysis Division.