This paper investigates whether a lack of pension portability is primarily responsible for the low job mobility rates observed for pension covered workers. Using the Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP), the analysis develops evidence which casts doubt on non-portability as the primary culprit for these low mobility rates. Instead, the evidence is consistent with an alternative view, that pension covered jobs offer higher levels of compensation than workers can obtain elsewhere, an it is this compensation premium, rather than non-portability, that accounts for lower turnover among workers covered by pensions. These results have implications for legislation addressing perceived problems associated with pension portability, and these implications are also explored.

Others in Series

Working Paper

The Effects of Being Uninsured on Health Care Service Use

October 1990

There is growing concern about the number of people in the United States who have no health insurance.

Working Paper

Food Stamp Participation

March 1986

This paper compares the distribution of Food Stamp Program participants on selected variables obtained from SIPP and from a survey of administrative records.

Working Paper

Response and Procedural Error Variance in Surveys

December 1990

In this paper we assess the relative importance of response and procedural error variance in the Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP).

Related Information

Survey of Income and Program Participation Working Papers

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