The findings of this thesis are somewhat at variance with the literature on Canadian public policy. The literature tends to accord primary importance in the federal policy-making process to forces such as political parties, bureaucratic groups, pressure groups, and the provinces. This study demonstrates that the political leadership of an individual cabinet minister and, subsequently, the political leadership of the government as a whole were of primary importance in the development of unemployment insurance policy in the 1970's. The policy interests of political leadership took precedence over those of other forces in the policy-making process. Moreover, the input of other forces with the exception of political parties, was negligible. Political leadership required the support of sympathizers within the major political parties to exercise leadership functions of surveillance and legitimation. / Bryce Mackasey, who introduced a new program in 1971, carried out these leadership functions so effectively that he became an agent of policy reform. Mackasey exercised surveillance over the policy-making activities of his public servants and legitimized the scheme to opponents within the major political parties, other bureaucratic groups, and the provinces. However, during the amending process, the government as a whole was not required to exercise surveillance but it successfully legitimized its policy interests to the same forces.

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2007. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

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M.Phil. (Labour Law and Employment Relations) / Please refer to full text to view abstract

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This thesis consists of three papers about labor market institutions and labor turnover. The first paper deals with the effects of enforcement of labor laws on turnover among formal workers. Examining data from RAIS, the paper discusses a previously undocumented discontinuous reduction in the layoffs at one year tenure. The analysis suggest that this results from the requirement of homologation for termination of those contracts, which works as a firing cost. Firms subject to low inspection frequency respond to stricter enforcement by increasing turnover during the first year, thus avoiding the payment of evaded benefits. The second paper analyses two distortions potentially present in Brazilian labor market institutions: collusion between workers and firms to withdraw funds from unemployment insurance and FGTS, and the incentive for termination of employment contracts before one year, to avoid the homologation. The effect of these distortions on firms' turnover strategy is quantified by a model. The results indicate that both distortions have effects on the distribution of layoffs over the employment duration, but little effect on the overall turnover, productivity and efficiency. The conclusion is that the distortions are relatively unimportant when compared to the selection of suitable employees for the job positions as a driver for turnover rates. In the third and last paper, we assess the impact of these distortions on the turnover and productivity through their influence on incentives for investment in labor relationships. A new model is proposed, in which labor productivity depends on investment in human capital by the worker. The model shows that distortions leading to high turnover decrease the investment in labor relationships. The lower investment, in turn, reduces relationships' values, inducing more turnover. Thus, the existence of rents associated with turnover can reduce investment in human capital and labor productivity. / Esta tese é composta por três artigos sobre instituições do mercado de trabalho e rotatividade da mão-de-obra. O primeiro artigo aborda os efeitos o monitoramento das leis trabalhistas sobre a rotatividade dos trabalhadores formais. A partir dos dados da RAIS, o artigo documenta de forma inédita, uma redução descontínua das demissões quando os contratos completam um ano. A análise sugere que isto se deve a exigência de homologação para a rescisão desses contratos, que funciona como um custo de demissão. Firmas pouco sujeitas a inspeções pelo MTE respondem a aumentos da fiscalização com mais rotatividade durante o primeiro ano, evitando o pagamento de d´dívidas trabalhistas. O segundo artigo analisa duas possíveis distorções presentes nas instituições do mercado de trabalho no Brasil: o conluio entre trabalhador e firma para a apropriação do seguro desemprego e do FGTS; e o t´término dos contratos de trabalho antes de completarem um ano, visando evitar a homologação. O efeito dessas distorções sobre as decisões de demissão e quantificado através de um modelo. Os resultados indicam que as distorções têm efeitos sobre a distribuição das demissões ao longo da duração do emprego, mas com pequeno impacto sobre rotatividade total, produtividade e eficiência. Conclui-se que a principal motivação para a rotatividade e a seleção de trabalhadores adequados. No terceiro artigo, procura-se identificar os efeitos das mesmas distorções sobre os incentivos ao investimento nas relações de trabalho. Elabora-se um novo modelo em que a produtividade depende de investimento em capital humano pelo trabalhador. O modelo evidencia que distorções que induzem a rotatividade diminuem o investimento nos vínculos de emprego. O menor investimento, por sua vez, reduz o valor da relação, induzindo mais rotatividade. Assim, a existência de rendas associadas à rotatividade pode resultar em baixos investimentos em capital humano e produtividade. / Tese (doutorado) - Pontifícia Universidade Católica do Rio de Janeiro. Departamento de Economia, Rio de Janeiro, 2015. / Bibliografia: p. [86]-89.