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Problem definition: With the rapid growth of the gig economy, on-demand staffing platforms have emerged to help companies manage their temporary workforce. This emerging business-to-business context motivates us to study a new form of supply chain coordination problem. We consider a staffing platform managing an on-demand workforce to serve multiple firms facing stochastic labor demand. Before demand realization, each individual firm can hire permanent employees, whereas the platform determines a compensation rate for potential on-demand workers. After knowing the realized demand, firms in need can request on-demand workers from the platform, and then, the platform operator allocates the available on-demand workforce among the firms. We explore how to maximize and distribute the benefits of an on-demand workforce through coordinating self-interested parties in the staffing system. Methodology/results: We combine game theory and online optimization techniques to address the challenges in incentivizing and coordinating the online workforce. We propose a novel and easily implementable fill rate-based allocation and coordination mechanism that enables the on-demand workforce to be shared optimally when individual firms and the platform operator make decisions in their own interest. We also show that the proposed mechanism can be adapted to the cases when contract terms need to be identical to all firms and when actual demand is unverifiable. Managerial implications: The proposed contract mechanism is in line with the performance-based contracting commonly used in on-demand staffing services. Our results suggest that under an appropriately designed performance-based mechanism, individual firms and the platform operator can share the maximum benefits of on-demand staffing. Funding: This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China [Grant 71871097] and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities, China. Supplemental Material: The online appendix is available at https://doi.org/10.1287/msom.2021.0327. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using national data from China Labour-force Dynamics Survey (CLDS), we apply Heckman two-step model and instrumental variable method to analyse the impact of long-term and short-term health shock on the labour supply and labour income of migrant workers as well as the mediating effect of medical insurance. Results indicate that both long-term and short-term health shock significantly reduce the labour supply and labour income of migrant workers. In particular, the negative effect of short-term health shock on labour supply proves greater than that of long-term health shock, and the negative effect of long-term health shock on labour income proves greater than that of short-term health shock. Medical insurance mitigates the negative effect of short-term health shock on the labour supply and labour income of migrant workers, yet produces no remarkable mediating effect on migrant workers who suffer from long-term health shock. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Drawing on fieldwork in southwest China, I examine how structural marginalization shapes therapeutic choices and healing experiences of chronic illness. I explore why Chinese rural migrant workers avoid chronic care in biomedicine to grapple with their chronic kidney disease. I show that migrant workers, who live precarious labor lives, experience chronic kidney disease as both a chronic, disabling experience and an acute crisis. I call for broader awareness of structural disability and argue that chronic disease care necessitates not only treating the disease but also the provision of equitable social security. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The zoonotic virus now named SARS-CoV-2 first infected humans in China, and COVID-19 has rapidly become pandemic. To mitigate its impact on societies, health systems and economies, countries have adopted non-pharmacological preventive practices such as 'spatial' or 'social' distancing, the use of protective masks, and handwashing; these have been widely implemented. However, measures aimed at protecting physical health and healthcare systems have side-effects that might have a big impact on individuals' wellbeing. As the pandemic reaches low- and middle-income countries, weaker health systems, limited resources and the lower socioeconomic status of their populations make halting the pandemic more challenging. In this article, we explore the impact of COVID-19 and its prevention measures on the wellbeing of vulnerable populations. Special attention must be given to homeless, indigenous, migrant and imprisoned populations, as well as people living with disabilities and the elderly. More than just resolute governmental action will be required to overcome the pandemic. Links between science and political actions have to be strengthened. Fighting COVID-19 is a collective endeavour and community action, on a global scale, is of paramount importance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Workplace injuries are a serious public health problem, potentially leading to loss of earnings, medical expenses, disability and even death for working people. Maritime transport workers - seafarers - are exposed to higher risks of workplace injuries than is the general land-based workforce. China has the world's largest population of international seafarers. Under Chinese law, as elsewhere, losses from workplace accidents are compensated in the form of financial entitlements. However, Chinese seafarers face tremendous challenges in the workers' compensation claim process. This paper investigates the experiences of Chinese seafarers in claiming this compensation, in order to assess the protective capacity of Chinese workers' compensation, known as the Work-Related Injury Insurance System. Drawing on therapeutic jurisprudence, it explores the anti-therapeutic effects that Chinese seafarers confront in the claims process. Based on an analysis of regulatory documents and interview data with the informants - including seafarers, their family members and managerial professionals in the shipping industry - the findings suggest that current work-related injury insurance is unable to provide sufficient assistance for Chinese seafarers. Instead of obtaining effective therapeutic remedies following accidental trauma, Chinese seafarers (and their families) are indeed likely to suffer additional harm in the process of claiming compensation. The paper suggests that further measures should be adopted to improve work-related injury insurance coverage among seafarers, and that efficient sanctions should be strengthened against infringements of seafarers' rights. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Despite increasing concerns about the health effects of climate change, the extent to which workers are affected by hot weather is not well documented. This study aims to investigate the association between high temperatures and work-related injuries using data from a large subtropical city in China.Methods: We used workers' compensation claims to identify work-related injuries in Guangzhou, China during 2011-2012. To feature the heat effect, the study period was restricted to the warm seasons in Guangzhou (1 May-31 October). We conducted a time-stratified case-crossover study to examine the association between ambient outdoor temperatures, including daily maximum and minimum temperatures, and cases of work-related injury. The relationships were assessed using conditional Poisson regression models.Results: Overall, a total of 5418 workers' compensation claims were included over the study period. Both maximum and minimum temperatures were significantly associated with work-related injuries, but associations varied by subgroup. One °C increase in maximum temperature was associated with a 1.4% (RR = 1.014, 95%CIs 1.012-1.017) increase in daily injury claims. Significant associations were seen for male and middle-aged workers, workers in small and medium-sized enterprises, and those working in manufacturing sector. And 1 °C increase in minimum temperature was associated with 1.7% (RR = 1.017, 95%CIs 1.012-1.021) increase in daily injury claims. Significant associations were observed for female and middle-aged workers, workers in large-sized enterprises, and those working in transport and construction sectors.Conclusions: We found a higher risk of work-related injuries due to hot weather in Guangzhou, China. This study provides important epidemiological evidence for policy-makers and industry that may assist in the formulation of occupational safety and climate adaptation strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: The objective of this study is to evaluate the effects of the Multi-disciplinary Orthopaedics Rehabilitation Empowerment (MORE) Program on reducing chronic disability among injured workers and improving efficiency of work rehabilitation process. METHODS:A cohort of patients with workplace injuries in the lower back were recruited from orthopaedics clinics and assigned to either MORE group (n = 139) or control group (n = 106). Patients in MORE group received an early MRI screening and a coordinated multi-disciplinary management, while patients in the control group received conventional care. Outcome variables are time to return-to-work (RTW) from date of injury, waiting time for MRI screening and time to medical assessment board (MAB). RESULTS: Patients in the MORE Program had significantly shorter duration for RTW (MORE: 6.1 months, Control: 12.8 months, p < 0.01), and more RTW cases (n = 64, 46.0%) compared to Control group (n = 29, 27.4%). The MORE group also had much shorter waiting time for MRI scans (91.85 vs. 309.2 days, p <0.001) and MAB referral after MRI scans (97.2 vs. 178.9 days, p = 0.001) compared to Control group. CONCLUSIONS: The MORE Program which emphasizes early intervention and early MRI screening, is shown to be effective in shortening sick leave and improving RTW outcomes of injured workers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a result of rapid industrialisation in China, rural–urban migrant workers are increasingly susceptible to occupational diseases. Based on the concept of risk society, the occupational disease represents a distinctive industrial risk for migrant workers. However, this issue has been little explored from a sociological perspective, and this article aims to fill this gap by exploring migrant workers' responses to occupational disease compensation. Despite the various laws on occupational diseases, migrant workers are generally unable to receive legal compensation. Instead, they have to negotiate with employers informally for private compensation. In addition to suffering physically from occupational diseases, the poor enforcement of public laws creates new social risks for workers, that is, the disadvantaged encounter unjust treatment, judicial injustice and social exclusion because their de jure entitlement is deprived. As a consequence, the laws aimed at protecting workers against accidents and occupational illnesses fail to reduce the power imbalance between employers and employees. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the rapid industrialization and urbanization of China, an estimated 252 million farmers have migrated from impoverished rural areas to prosperous urban regions, seeking off-farm employment. In China, these are referred to as migrant workers. Workers' compensation insurance law represents one of the most vital formal institutions for Chinese migrant workers. Through in-depth interviews with migrant workers and employers, the authors find that instead of making a formal claim based on workers' compensation insurance law, most injured migrant workers adopt informal channels (e.g. bargaining, negotiation, threats, violence) to receive compensation from employers. Even when migrant workers are insured in accordance with the law, they may be denied legal insurance compensation and thus turn to informal private settlement. Generally, the amount of compensation acquired by means of informal private settlement is significantly smaller than that awarded in the case of legal insurance compensation. This practice reveals that, like some other formal institutions in China, workers' compensation insurance law is merely a symbolic ornament, window-dressing for the public, which are referred to as 'ornamental institutions'. In the way they are designed, set up and funded, these ornamental institutions can easily prove illusory since they conceal an anarchic world wherein diverse informal channels of social actors emerge, which reflect the reality of Chinese society. Therefore, only through deep empirical research, like this study, can one see beyond the facade of modernity in contemporary China, observe the reality of social actors, and reflect upon the functioning of ornamental institutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Resumen: Ante el número desproporcionado de accidentes y enfermedades profesionales en China en el último decenio y el nivel de conflicto social que han generado, los autores investigan cómo los actores clave afrontan los problemas de seguridad y salud en el trabajo (SST) mediante entrevistas a 25 trabajadores lesionados o enfermos de cinco provincias chinas sobre prácticas de seguridad, causas potenciales de lesiones y tratamiento e indemnizaciones proporcionados (o no); además, formulan recomendaciones para mejorar la cultura de la seguridad empresarial en China, en aras de la justicia social y la armonía social. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction China has become a major economic influence in Asia and globally. The country is in the position to further develop its workers' insurance and compensation system. This paper aims to introduce the existing workers' compensation policies, explain how these policies guide the operation of the occupational rehabilitation system for injured workers, and suggest ways to further develop an effective and sustainable system for the country. Methods Major government policies and initiative documents and existing literature on occupational rehabilitation were critically reviewed. Shortfalls in our current system were identified and potential further development regimes were propose. Results Since 2004, China has implemented its national policy on providing timely and comprehensive rehabilitation and return-to-work interventions for workers who are injured at work. The three-tier medical and occupational rehabilitation system appears effective for enabling injured workers to access these services. Such a system is regarded as the most optimal for the country in spearheading the development of quality occupational rehabilitation services, and at the same time incorporating the existing expertise in acute medical care and rehabilitation within the public medical and health system. Problems encountered in the system can be classified under the culture, system and competence building aspects. Conclusion The future workers' insurance and compensation system can probably put more emphasis on using bio-psychosocial and work disability prevention models in guiding its service development and delivery. Efforts need to be placed on building the competence of professionals in the system who provide services for injured workers. The empowerment of important stakeholders in the workers' insurance and compensation system and their inclusion in the planning of service delivery are crucial for developing a sustainable and effective system for China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article focuses on the condition of the social security insurance (SSI) system in China. It recalls the interest of the government to adopt SSI system with aims to transform care provided by families, to a framework that covers the entire population of the country. It outlines the objectives of the SSI, and the difficulties of the government in managing the SI due to its disparate set of elements. However, it encourages the government to settle the system to ensure proper implementation.

Using firm-level panel data covering 2005–2007, the present paper examines the effects of R&D and human capital investment on productivity in China's electronics industry. It is found that both R&D and on-the-job training positively contribute to total factor productivity (TFP). Firms' investment in employees' health insurance and pensions, which are components of workers' compensation, generate a productivity-enhancing effect, supporting the efficiency wage hypothesis. The estimated impact of R&D on productivity varies among different forms of ownership, and foreign-owned enterprises experience higher R&D efficiency than state or private enterprises. After controlling for potential endogenous causality between TFP and R&D, the above findings remain unchanged. We also find that on-the-job training can improve the quality of human capital and is helpful in promoting productivity. Therefore, establishing indigenous technological capability through various technological sources is quite important, and the government should devote further effort to investing in human capital. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perfluorinated compounds (PFCs) have been used for many years, and are distributed all over the world. This study focused on occurrences of PFCs, especially perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctonoic acid (PFOA) in Thai rivers and industrial estate discharges, while comparing results with rivers of other Asian countries (Japan, China, and Malaysia). Surveys were conducted in Chao Phraya River, Bangpakong River and three industrial estates. A solid phase extraction (SPE) and HPLC-ESI-MS/MS were used for the analysis of these chemicals. The average concentrations of PFOS and PFOA were 1.9 and 4.7 ng/L, respectively in Chao Phraya River, while lower concentrations were detected in Bangpakong River with the averages of 0.7 ng/L for both PFOS and PFOA. Higher concentrations were detected in all industrial estate discharges with the averages of 64.3 ng/L for PFOA and 17.9 ng/L for PFOS., Total loadings from three industrial estates were 1.93 g/d for PFOS and 11.81 g/d for PFOA. The concentraion levels in Thai rivers were less than rivers in Japan, China, and Malaysia. However, PFCs loading rate of Chao Phraya River was much higher than Yodo River (Japan), due to the higher flow rate. The other six PFCs were found above the Limit of Quantification (LOQ) in most samples. PFHxS and PFNA were also highly detected in some river samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction This paper reports the results of implementing a pilot case management system for work injuries in Hong Kong. The case management approach was characterized by use of a case manager who worked closely with each of the reported injury cases. The case manager undertook the roles of assessor, referral agent, counselor, work-site liaison, and return-to-work (RTW) expert. Methods A quasi-experimental study design was used. The study compared the RTW and workers’ compensation outcomes in injured workers in a cleaning company in a case management group ( n = 296) and a conventional rehabilitation group ( n = 137). Outcomes of the intervention were followed up at 6 months. Results The results indicated that the RTW rate was 97.0% and 94.2% for the case management and conventional rehabilitation groups respectively, with no significant differences between them. Participants in the case management group had significantly fewer days of sick leave (mean = 27.5 and 41.6 days, respectively) and lower compensation costs (mean = HK$7,212.2 and $20,617.3, respectively) than those in the comparison group. Age of the participants was found to influence the outcomes with those who were between 41 and 50 years old and received case management intervention had shorter sick leave and lower cost of compensation than their conventional rehabilitation counterpart. The majority of the participants who had returned to work in both the case management (95.8%) and the conventional rehabilitation (96.2%) groups were found to maintain their work status 6 months after the intervention. Implications The findings suggested that applying the case management approach to the Hong Kong workers’ compensation system was more effective overall. Nevertheless, the inherent problems associated with implementing such an approach within the existing system, which focuses on compensation and medical interventions, remained unresolved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Several studies have been conducted in the West showing that return to work (RTW) coordination is a key element to facilitate RTW of injured workers and to prevent work disabilities. However, no study has been carried out to investigate the scope of RTW activities in China. The purpose of this study was to explore the views of key RTW stakeholders on necessary activities for RTW coordination., Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted in Guangdong province of China. A three-tiered approach including focus group discussions and panel reviews was used to collect RTW activities, analyze the content validity, and classify domains. Descriptive statistics and intra-class correlation (ICC) were used to describe the importance of RTW activities and the degree of agreement on the classification of different domains. A Kruskal-Wallis test with subsequent post-hoc analysis using multiple Mann-Whitney U tests was carried out to check for any differences in the domains of different RTW activities among RTW stakeholders., Results: The domains of RTW activities in China were similar to those in the West and included workplace assessment and mediation, social problem solving, role and liability clarification, and medical advice. Good agreement (ICC: 0.729-0.844) on the classification of RTW activities into different domains was found. The domains of the RTW activities of healthcare providers differed from those of employers (P = 0.002) and injured workers (P = 0.001). However, there was no significant difference between employers and injured workers., Conclusions: This study indicated that differences among stakeholders were observed in terms of areas of relative priority. There is a clear need for research and training in China to establish a nation-wide terminology for RTW coordination, facilitate cross-provincial studies and work toward a more integrated system addressing the diverse perspectives of stakeholders involved in the RTW process.

Introduction: The promotion of return to work (RTW) following occupational injury benefits injured workers, their families, enterprises and the society. The identification of the potential determinants would be helpful in improving RTW rate and minimizing the duration of absenteeism following injury., Objectives: The aim of the study was to identify the potential determinants of RTW following work-related injury., Methods: A historical cohort of workers with occupational injury in a state-owned locomotive vehicles company in central China was followed up on the outcomes of RTW. Demographic, employment and medical information was retrieved from the company archival documents; and post-injury information was interviewed by structured questionnaires. Univariate analysis and Cox Regression Model were used to examine the associations between potential determinants and outcomes of RTW., Results: Three hundred of the 323 cases (92.9%) eventually returned to work after the median absence of 43 days. Factors from socio-demographic, clinical, economic, and psychological domains affected RTW in the univariate analyses. The multivariate analysis indicated that age, injury severity, injury locus, injury nature, pain in the injury locus, self-report health status and pre-injury monthly salary were significant determinants of RTW., Conclusions: There were multidimensional factors affecting RTW after occupational injury. Proper clinical treatment and rehabilitation, as well as economic and social support to facilitate workers' RTW would be the priorities upon intervention. Future studies should be conducted in larger representative samples to confirm the findings and to develop a multidisciplinary intervention strategy towards promoting RTW.

China's drive to modernize its economy will produce new occupational health problems even as it resolves earlier ones. Well aware of this, Chinese occupational health experts are intensifying efforts to improve workers' health and establish a modern occupational health program. Occupational lung disease, occupational cancer, heavy metal poisoning, industrial chemical poisoning, and physical factor-induced diseases (noise and heat) have all been targeted for expanded research which will serve as a basis for standard setting. Hazard control efforts include engineering controls, particularly in new construction, limited use of personal protective equipment, and expansion of environmental and medical monitoring. Worker education and professional activities have been expanded. International exchanges have been initiated and will prove occupational health a promising area of scientific cooperation.

General practice statistics for the month of July 1986 were analysed from a semirural town. There were 498 accident consultations and Maoris tended to be underrepresented. Thirty six percent of accidents were at work, 30% in the home and 12.6% in sports. Twenty three percent of the accidents involved no time off work and 32% had up to a week off. Thirty percent made a claim for earnings related compensation to ACC. Eight patients had prolonged periods off work.

China's drive to modernize its economy will produce new occupational health problems even as it resolves earlier ones. Well aware of this, Chinese occupational health experts are intensifying efforts to improve workers' health and establish a modern occupational health program. Occupational lung disease, occupational cancer, heavy metal poisoning, industrial chemical poisoning, and physical factor-induced diseases (noise and heat) have all been targeted for expanded research which will serve as a basis for standard setting. Hazard control efforts include engineering controls, particularly in new construction, limited use of personal protective equipment, and expansion of environmental and medical monitoring. Worker education and professional activities have been expanded. International exchanges have been initiated and will prove occupational health a promising area of scientific cooperation.