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National Longitudinal Survey of Older and Young Men (NLSM)

Fringe Benefits (Young Men's cohort)

This section reviews the fringe benefit data collected for Young Men respondents. Additional information on other work-related benefits can be found in the Pensions, Social Security & Retirement section.

Data on the availability of fringe benefits provided by employers of respondents were collected in 1976 and 1981. Fringe benefits such as: (1) medical/surgical/hospital/dental/vision insurance; (2) life insurance; (3) a retirement pension program; (4) paid sick leave; (5) paid vacation; (6) training/educational opportunities; (7) profit sharing; (8) stock options; and (9) free/discounted meals or merchandise were included in both interviews. In addition, the 1981 survey asked about the availability of flexible work hours. Table 1 summarizes by survey year the numbers of employed respondents reporting the availability of each type of fringe benefit.

Table 1. Numbers of Employed YM Respondents Reporting the Availability of Various Types of Fringe Benefits at their Current Job
  1976 1981
Reporting Availability
One or More Benefits 2741 2637
No Benefits 262 156
Type of Benefit
Medical/Surgical/Hospital/Dental/Vision Insurance 2380 2410
Life Insurance 1932 2024
Retirement Pension Program 1861 1864
Training/Education Opportunities 1362 1484
Profit Sharing 618 654
Stock Options 552 620
Free or Discounted Meals 372 338
Free or Discounted Merchandise 709 605
Paid Sick Leave 2002 1975
Paid Vacation Leave 2440 2324
Flexible Work Hours -- 926
     
Universe: Those respondents who were working at the current survey date within a private company or as a government worker. Table is based on R04561. and R06935.
Related Variables Additional information on eligibility for and receipt of various kinds of retirement benefits and/or on coverage by medical insurance has been collected. Users interested in these sets of questions should refer to the "Income & Assets," "Health," or "Retirement" sections of each cohort's questionnaires.
Survey Instruments & Documentation The "Current Labor Force Status," "Current Labor Force Status and Work History," or "Employment" sections of the Young Men questionnaires.

User note about the fringe benefits universe

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 a government worker. The 1981 Young Men data include five respondents who are coded as both with and without benefits; their case ID#s are 601, 1788, 3119, 3206, and 4239.

Multiple entry "mark all that apply" questions typically found in the fringe benefit sections of the Original Cohort questionnaires were coded as geometric progressions during all but the most recent survey years. Program statements to unpack such variables are presented in Appendix C.

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.