The National Foundation for Unemployment Compensation and Workers’ Compensation, Inc. was founded in 1984 by UWC Strategic Services on Unemployment & Workers’ Compensation. It helps individuals from industry, government, associations and other professions, gain a keen understanding of the nation’s unemployment insurance (UI) and workers’ compensation (WC) laws. Located in our Nation’s Capital, the Foundation serves an important and vital role in researching and reporting on changes to policy in these important areas.
Purpose of the Foundation
The Foundation was established to collect data, conduct research, and analyze current issues relating to unemployment compensation and workers’ compensation. A primary objective is the production and distribution of information useful to those who participate in developing public policy affecting unemployment and/or workers’ compensation including administrators, legislators, employers and their representatives.
Scope of The Foundation’s Research
Research projects are selected to respond to current and emerging issues. They customarily fall into one of two categories. (1) Periodic updates of information reflecting changes in the legislative and administrative actions affecting the programs, including operating statistical data. (2) Investigation of new issues affecting the operation of the programs, the beneficiaries and the costs.
The Foundation also publishes an annual series of Research Bulletins. These reports contain empirical data useful in monitoring the primary provisions of law and policy related to the programs. The reports reflect data for each jurisdiction facilitating state-by-state comparisons, and provide a wide variety of program features, including fiscal data on benefit payments, cost, employer taxes, experience rating, quality controls, etc. The status of state legislative proposals is reviewed on a monthly and quarterly basis.
In addition to the regular research agenda described, the Foundation is very sensitive to problems affecting the efficiency and costs of unemployment and workers’ compensation. Specific research projects are selected to develop information and findings useful to those making public policy decisions.
Other Foundation Activities
Highlights of State Unemployment Compensation Laws is a popular resource book developed by the Foundation to provide timely data on the principal features of each state UI program. It is edited early each year to reflect the multitude of changes State Legislatures have made in the preceding year.
The National Unemployment Insurance Issues Conference is an annual 3-day seminar conducted by the Foundation to promote understanding and expertise for those interested in improving the UI program. The Foundation staff also prepares papers and delivers speeches at functions sponsored by government or private organizations.
Financial Support of the Foundation
Although the Foundation welcomes financial support from the general public, its principal donors have been corporate foundations or discretionary funds. The research agenda of the Foundation is attractive to the business sector because it:
- Concentrates upon cost effectiveness of proposed and enacted program changes.
- Focuses upon issues of immediate concern to the business sector.
- Produces products useful to those who manage employee benefits.
- Provides a unique source of data for corporate public affairs and legislative representatives.
- Researches and oversees educational endeavors designed for practical application, as opposed to theoretical or philosophical inquiry.
- Develops products that have repeatedly demonstrated their utility value to a firm’s bottom line.
Organization
The Foundation’s Board of Trustees is composed of executives from major corporations representing a cross-section of American industry. Nationally-known researchers and experts in unemployment compensation and workers’ compensation are also included among the Trustees of the Foundation.
The Trustees make overall policy and financing decisions for the Foundation and determine priorities of the issues to be studied. The Foundation is a not-for-profit organization and tax exempt status has been granted under Section 501 (c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Click here to make a tax-exempt contribution to the National Foundation for Unemployment Compensation and Workers’ Compensation (NFUCWC).