Calculating Employment Costs

"An Examination of Firms' Employment Costs." Sarah Dolfin, Applied Economics, May 2006. The existence of quasi-fixed costs of work may affect firms' desired employee hours and number of workers, which has important implications for the estimation of labor supply parameters. Firm-level data from the 1982 U.S. Employment Opportunity Pilot Project are used to estimate the importance to firms of employee quasi-fixed costs related to searching, hiring, training, and firing. Specifically, this paper examines how these costs affect number of workers and hours per worker, turnover, and vacancies, to the extent that the costs are determined by a firm's presumably exogenous industrial classification. Results show that higher costs are associated with lower turnover, fewer vacancies, and longer hours as predicted by a model of labor demand.

Food Stamp Participation

"Empirical Bayes Shrinkage Estimates of State Food Stamp Participation Rates in 2002-2003 for All Eligible People and for the Working Poor." Laura Castner and Allen Schirm, July 2006. This report provides technical documentation for food stamp estimates included in the pamphlet, "Reaching Those In Need: Food Stamp Participation Rates in the States in 2003," and  the report, "State Food Stamp Participation Rates for the Working Poor in 2003."

Measuring Physician Quality

Mathematica has teamed with the American Medical Association and the National Committee for Quality Assurance to study physician quality measures. Focusing on specialty care, the first measures to be released for public comment assess aspects of eye care, osteoporosis, and perioperative care. Measures related to stroke care, skin cancer, geriatrics, emergency care, and gastroesophageal reflux disease will also be released for comment. Read more about our study.

Kids with Serious Emotional Disorders

"Public Financing of Home and Community Services for Children and Youth with Serious Emotional Disturbances: Selected State Strategies." Henry T. Ireys, Sheila Pires, and Meredith Lee, June 2006. Strengthening the financing of intensive home and community services for youth with serious emotional disorders (SEDs) brings into play a complex set of policy issues, payment mechanisms, and service system reforms. This report presents critical background information on these topics. It includes examples of effective partnerships between agencies that serve youth with SED, describes the background and policy context for innovative programs in selected states, and identifies the strengths and weaknesses of four major financing mechanisms: HCBS waivers, the Medicaid rehabilitation option, case rates for high-risk populations, and provisions in the Tax Equity and Fiscal Responsibility Act (TEFRA), also known as the Katie Beckett provision. Finally, the report presents a synthesis of findings and discusses their implications for states that are planning to develop demonstration projects, authorized under the 2005 Deficit Reduction Act, to strengthen the financing of intensive home and community services for youth with SEDs and their families.

Upcoming Conferences

Mathematica's statistical experts will be presenting at the Joint Statistical Meetings in Seattle, WA, from August 6 to 10. This conference, attended by over 5,000 people, includes oral presentations, panel sessions, and poster presentations focused on state-of-the-art statistical products and methods. See a list of Mathematica presenters. Read more about the conference.


On August 21 to 23, our welfare research staff will be sharing their findings at the 46th annual National Association for Welfare Research and Statistics conference in Jackson Hole, WY. Please join us to hear the latest findings on home visitation in rural welfare-to-work programs, food stamp participation rates, healthy marriage programs for low-income couples, and other topics. View a list of Mathematica presenters. Read more about the conference.

On the Move: Staff News and Changes

Administration Division
Alison Barger, controller, has been named director of accounting.		Patricia Fenner has been named director of administrative services.
Research Division
Peter Schochet, a nationally known methodological expert in experimental and nonexperimental evaluations of interventions in education, employment, and welfare, has been named senior fellow.