Category «Economy»

Federal Telework: Better Guidance Could Help Agencies Calculate Benefits and Costs

Federal Telework: Better Guidance Could Help Agencies Calculate Benefits and Costs, GAO-16-551: Published: Jul 15, 2016. Publicly Released: Aug 1, 2016: “With over 1 million federal employees eligible for telework in 2013, federal agencies are fully engaged in incorporating telework as a standard human capital flexibility. GAO was asked to review the benefits and costs …

Subjects: E-Government, Economy, Government Documents, Internet, Knowledge Management

Risk-Mitigation Instruments in Infrastructure: Gap Assessment

World Economic Forum: “The report, Risk Mitigation Instruments in Infrastructure: Gap Assessment, offers a framework for institutions to assess gaps in the provision of risk-mitigation instruments and to mobilize much-needed long-term infrastructure investment in emerging and developing economies. The report outlines input from more than 40 institutional and private investors with total assets under management …

Subjects: Economy, Financial System, Government Documents

EU Report – Precarious Employment in Europe

European Parliament Think Tank – Precarious Employment in Europe (Volume 1: Patterns, Trends and Policy Strategies; Volume 2 – Country Case Studies): “This Policy Department A study examines precarious employment, its patterns, trends and policy strategies in Europe. It explores the risk of precariousness of different types of contract, using information from EU data analysis …

Subjects: Economy, Financial System, Government Documents

GSA Bulletin – federal employees and use of ride-sharing companies

Government Executive: “The General Services Administration issued a bulletin on the Federal Travel Regulation, cementing a policy many — but not all — agencies had already installed. While each agency manages the final authorization of travel expenses based on internal policy, GSA said federal employees can use mobile ride-hailing applications — referred to in government …

Subjects: Economy, Financial System

Pay Equity: Legislative and Legal Developments

Via FAS, CRS Report – Pay Equity: Legislative and Legal Developments, Jody Feder, Legislative Attorney; Benjamin Collins, Analyst in Labor Policy. May 20, 2016. “According to some federal data, on average, full-time female workers earn approximately 20% less than full-time male workers. At least a portion of this gap is due to observable factors such …

Subjects: Civil Liberties, Congress, Economy, Financial System, Legislation

An Explanation of Negative Swap Spreads: Demand for Duration from Underfunded Pension Plans

Klingler, Sven and Sundaresan, Suresh M., An Explanation of Negative Swap Spreads: Demand for Duration from Underfunded Pension Plans (July 27, 2016). Available for download at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=2814975 “In September 2008, the US swap spread for 30-year swap contracts turned negative and is still negative as of today. Persistent negative swap spreads are puzzling, and …

Subjects: Economy, Financial System

GAO Reports – Aviation Safety, Financial Management Systems, Hazardous Materials Transportation, BFS Info Systems Controls, VA Real Property

Aviation Safety: FAA’s Risk-Based Oversight for Repair Stations Could Benefit from Additional Airline Data and Performance Metrics, GAO-16-679: Published: Jul 28, 2016. Publicly Released: Jul 28, 2016. Financial Management Systems: HUD Needs to Address Management and Governance Weaknesses That Jeopardize Its Modernization Efforts, GAO-16-656: Published: Jul 28, 2016. Publicly Released: Jul 28, 2016. Hazardous Materials …

Subjects: E-Government, Economy, Environmental Law, Financial System, Transportation

Census Bureau Releases Advance Economic Indicator Report

“Today the U.S. Census Bureau released its first ever Advance Economic Indicators Report that combines the release of advance statistics on international trade in goods with new advance estimates for retail and wholesale inventories. This summary level report contains select aggregate levels for retail and wholesale trade inventories. See New U.S. Census Bureau Report on …

Subjects: Economy, Financial System, Government Documents

NY Fed – Monetary Policy Transmission before and after the Crisis

Monetary Policy Transmission before and after the Crisis, Alexander Kroeger and Asani Sarkar, June 29, 2016. “The Federal Open Market Committee implements monetary policy by raising or lowering its target for the federal funds rate, the interest rate banks charge each other for overnight loans. Because the Federal Reserve has no direct control over most …

Subjects: Economy, Financial System

Federal Reserve issues FOMC statement July 27, 2016

“Information received since the Federal Open Market Committee met in June indicates that the labor market strengthened and that economic activity has been expanding at a moderate rate. Job gains were strong in June following weak growth in May. On balance, payrolls and other labor market indicators point to some increase in labor utilization in …

Subjects: Economy, Financial System, Government Documents

Opening the Textbook: Educational Resources in U.S. Higher Education, 2015-16

Opening the Textbook: Educational Resources in U.S. Higher Education, 2015-16  I. Elaine Allen, Ph.D. Professor of Biostatistics & Epidemiology, UCSF Co- Director, Babson Survey Research Group Jeff Seaman, Ph.D. Co- Director, Babson Survey Research Group. “Most higher education faculty are unaware of open educational resources (OER)–but they are interested and some are willing to give …

Subjects: Economy, Education