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Category: In the News

  • In the NewsApril 29, 2010

    Public Workers Earn Less Than Private Ones

    April 29, 2010 — The Detroit Free Press reports on the new study, “Out of Balance?” that finds Michigan public employees are paid, on average, less than private-sector employees with comparable skills and educational levels. Public employees nationwide are paid about 12% less than their private-sector counterparts. That has been a trend for 20 years, according to […]

  • In the NewsApril 29, 2010

    Comp for Public Employees Lagging

    April 29, 2010 — Employee Benefit News reports that although benefits comprise a slightly larger share of compensation for public-sector employees, they still earn less than their private-sector counterparts even after accounting for the value of retirement plans, health care and other benefits. On average, total compensation, which includes employee benefits, is 6.8% lower for state employees […]

  • In the NewsApril 29, 2010

    Study: Public employees better-educated, more skilled, earn less

    April 29, 2010 — The Times Union asks: are workers in the public sector really overpaid and too comfy for their own good? According to a new study from the Center for State and Local Government Excellence and National Institute on Retirement Security, not really. Analysis of Bureau of Labor Statistics data showed that state and local […]

  • In the NewsApril 28, 2010

    Who Makes More..Public or Private?

    April 28, 2010 —  CBS reports on the new study, “Out of Balance?” that finds when you adjust for education and other job characteristics, public workers make less than private sector counterparts. The typical state worker makes 11 percent less than someone in the private sector, while a local government employee makes 12 percent less, according to […]

  • In the NewsApril 28, 2010

    State, City Wages Lag Private Sector

    April 28, 2010 — Reuters reports on the new study, “Out of Balance?” finding that state and local employees often are paid less than their counterparts in the U.S. private sector, even though public sector employees typically have more education. Public employees also have lower total compensation, which includes health care, than workers in the private sector. And […]

  • In the NewsApril 28, 2010

    Government Jobs Not So Cushy

    April 28, 2010 —  CNN Money reports on the new report, “Out of Balance?” finding that the compensation gap is widening for state and local workers as compared to private sector counterparts.  Public workers earn 11% to 12% less than workers in private companies even when accounting for benefits. “For a long time, there has been a […]

  • In the NewsApril 1, 2010

    Pensions Have Strong Retention Effect

    Spring 2010 — A letter to the editor by NIRS submitted to Education Next disputes a recent piece entitled “Golden Handcuffs” Shortcomings in the authors’ analysis lead them to spurious conclusions. First, despite the authors’ claim, legally and otherwise, pension plans cannot and do not redistribute wealth. Second, the authors incorrectly assert that there is no justification […]

  • In the NewsMarch 16, 2010

    Public Plans Hold More Equities Than Private Sector Plans

    March 16, 2010 — BNA reports that as of the end of 2009, public plans had 57 percent of their investments in equities while private sector pensions had on 38% in equities, according to NIRS. “This is striking, because when we look back over the past decade, we can see that through 2006, pensions in the private […]

  • In the NewsMarch 16, 2010

    Could PPA Have Hurt Corporate Pensions?

    March 16, 2010 — PlanSponsor reports on NIRS’ analysis suggesting that passage of the Pension Protection Act of 2006 led private sector plan sponsors to turn away from equities during the economic downturn and not reap the benefits of the market recovery. Companies have attempted to reduce the volatility of the investments in their plans by turning […]