4.13 Fringe Benefits
This section reviews the fringe benefit data collected for the Young Women. Additional information on other work-related benefits can be found in the “Pension Benefits & Pension Plans” section of this guide.
Data on the availability of fringe benefits provided by employers of respondents were collected in 1978 and 1983–2001. At each survey point, information was gathered about the following fringe benefits: (1) medical, surgical, hospital, and dental insurance (as well as vision insurance in some surveys); (2) life insurance; (3) a retirement pension program; (4) paid sick leave; (5) paid vacation; (6) training/educational opportunities; and (7) profit sharing. In addition, select surveys collected data on the availability of free/discounted meals or merchandise, paid and unpaid maternity leave, stock options, flexible work hours, child care, paid personal time, time off for child care, time off for elder care, or a flexible menu of benefits. Table 4.13.1 below summarizes by survey year the numbers of employed respondents reporting the availability of each type of fringe benefit.
In 1987, additional items asked respondents to rank their most important and most desired fringe benefits. In 1991, the collection of fringe benefit data was broadened to include data on actual coverage by a health or retirement plan provided by the respondent’s employer. Information on specific types of health insurance coverage (e.g., medical/surgical/hospital care, dental services, vision care, or prescription drugs) was collected, as were data on whether those respondents covered by a pension plan were vested. These pension data are discussed in the “Pension Benefits & Pension Plans” section of this guide.
Related Variables: Additional information has been collected on eligibility for and receipt of various kinds of retirement benefits and/or on coverage by medical insurance. Users interested in these sets of questions should refer to the “Income & Assets,” “Health,” or “Pension Benefits & Pension Plans” sections of this guide.
Survey Instruments: The “Current Labor Force Status,” “Current Labor Force Status and Work History,” “Employment,” and “Employer Supplement” sections of the questionnaires contain the questions on fringe benefits.
| User Notes: The universe for the fringe benefit series is
restricted to those respondents who have worked since the last interview
and who were employed in a private business or as government workers.
Multiple entry “mark all that apply” questions typically found in the fringe benefit sections were originally coded as geometric progressions. Program statements to unpack such variables are presented in Appendix C of this guide. Beginning in 1993, each type of benefit is reported in a separate variable with a yes or no response. With this new format, geometric progressions are no longer used. |
Table 4.13.1 Numbers of Employed Respondents Reporting the Availability of Various Types of Fringe Benefits at Their Current Job
|
Reporting
Availability1 |
1978 |
1983 |
1985 |
1987 |
1988 |
1991 |
1993 |
1995 |
1997 |
1999 |
2001 |
|
One or More Benefits |
1763 |
2089 |
2439 |
2445 |
2336 |
2364 |
2161 |
1724 |
1679 |
1586 |
1285 |
|
No Benefits |
232 |
284 |
-- |
283 |
272 |
318 |
316 |
356 |
359 |
318 |
235 |
|
Type of Benefit |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Medical/Surgical/Hospital/Dental/ Vision Insurance |
1523 |
1634 |
1911 |
2010 |
1895 |
1937 |
1796 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
Medical Insurance |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
1615 |
1593 |
1495 |
1217 |
|
Dental Insurance |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
1264 |
1271 |
1226 |
1046 |
|
Life Insurance |
1087 |
1349 |
1636 |
1729 |
1576 |
1588 |
1505 |
1399 |
1362 |
1284 |
1049 |
|
Retirement Pension Program |
1091 |
1295 |
1547 |
1654 |
1532 |
1634 |
1583 |
1453 |
1446 |
1343 |
1124 |
|
Training/Education Opportunities |
801 |
1038 |
1418 |
1537 |
1306 |
1337 |
1276 |
1122 |
1118 |
1004 |
797 |
|
Profit Sharing |
327 |
430 |
570 |
634 |
504 |
519 |
482 |
450 |
408 |
367 |
295 |
|
Stock Options |
284 |
362 |
457 |
487 |
401 |
411 |
396 |
-- |
360 |
344 |
291 |
|
Free or Discounted Meals |
287 |
224 |
431 |
482 |
395 |
385 |
349 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
Free or Discounted Merchandise |
400 |
436 |
645 |
712 |
501 |
459 |
401 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
Paid Sick Leave |
1356 |
1575 |
1833 |
1891 |
1743 |
1772 |
1694 |
13542 |
13332 |
12262 |
998 |
|
Paid Vacation Leave |
1501 |
1683 |
1949 |
2001 |
1869 |
1922 |
1761 |
13692 |
13052 |
12172 |
953 |
|
Paid Maternity Leave |
480 |
827 |
1158 |
1110 |
918 |
923 |
869 |
1391 |
1368 |
1217 |
996 |
|
Unpaid Maternity Leave |
561 |
493 |
1165 |
1144 |
617 |
609 |
653 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
Flexible Work Hours |
-- |
717 |
1131 |
1199 |
899 |
955 |
855 |
732 |
773 |
740 |
611 |
|
Child Day Care |
-- |
62 |
113 |
137 |
101 |
136 |
142 |
144 |
155 |
138 |
108 |
|
Paid Personal Time |
-- |
-- |
-- |
1136 |
874 |
1059 |
937 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
Time off for Child Care |
-- |
-- |
-- |
576 |
316 |
371 |
484 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
Time off for Elder Care |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
235 |
403 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
Flexible Menu of Benefits |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
529 |
584 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
|
Other |
-- |
207 |
378 |
412 |
380 |
233 |
240 |
-- |
-- |
-- |
-- |
| Universe: Respondents who were working, at the survey date, in a private company or as a government worker. | |||||||||||
| Note: For 1978-95, this table is based on R06026., R08115., R09541., R10700., R11179., R12421.-R12440., R13764.-R13783., and R20074.-R20262. For 1997, 1999, and 2001, numbers are derived from the currently employed flag for each job (e.g., R44404.) and the fringe benefits series for each job (e.g., R44548.-R44563.). | |||||||||||
| 1 The numbers will not sum to the universe total because respondents may receive more than one benefit. | |||||||||||
| 2 A few respondents reported availability of combined sick/vacation leave, a separate category added in 1995 and not represented in this table. | |||||||||||
Reference
Bureau of Labor Statistics. Work & Family: Changes in Wages and Benefits among Young Adults. Report No. 849. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Labor, July 1993.Return to top Return to Chapter 4 Contents