November 8, 2007 - Volume I, Issue 3

New NJPRO Facts For Discussion Shows that New Jersey�s Workers� Compensation Program is Fair and Balanced for Employees and Employers
For nearly 100 years, New Jersey employers and their employees have mutually benefited from the State�s Workers� Compensation System according to a new report issued by the New Jersey Policy Research Organization (NJPRO), the research affiliate of the New Jersey Business and Industry Association (NJBIA). NJPRO�s latest facts for discussion, �Workers� Compensation in New Jersey,� is an explanatory guide on the ins and outs of how the Garden State�s Workers� Compensation System is designed, how it mutually benefits employers and employees, and how it measures up to systems in other states.

According to the report, New Jersey�s system has been structured in such a way that it justly benefits all parties involved in a Workers� Compensation claim. The system has been able to fairly provide injured workers with medical care, wage replacement, and dependency benefits while controlling employer costs at a level that is not excessive.

To download the full NJPRO Report and view all the other nationally recognized rankings of New Jersey�s economy, visit the NJPRO Web site.

State Statistic Spotlight: New Jersey 14th in the Nation in Workers� Compensation Benefits per $100 of Covered Wages
NJPRO's "State Stats," which show how NJ measures up to its competitor states in terms of population and quality of life, taxation and government, economy, education, energy, and healthcare, has just been updated to show that the Garden State ranks 14th in the nation in Workers� Compensation Benefits per $100 of Covered Wages, according to the "Small Business Survival Index, 2006." New Jersey has a rate of 0.85 per $100. This is higher than the 0.77 per $100 in 2006. According to the report, �High workers� compensation rates impact the economy in much the same way as high unemployment tax rates. The cost of labor relative to capital is increased, and incentives for labor-intensive businesses to flee are clear.�

New Jersey ranks lower than New York and Connecticut, but higher than Pennsylvania and Delaware.

New Jersey�s ranking from the Small Business and Entrepreneurship Council is just one of the �State Stats� featured on NJPRO�s Web site. The full compilation is available online.

Bright Ideas Award Winners 2007
NJPRO has again teamed up with Stillman School of Business for its Sixth Annual Volume of Business Research and the awarding of Bright Ideas. The NJPRO Bright Ideas awards recognize outstanding research on business-related issues that are relevant and educational to New Jersey firms. NJPRO is proud to congratulate this year�s winners of the Bright Ideas awards.

Accounting: �Guarding the auditing guards� by Michael Alles, Alexander Kogan, Miklos Vasarhelyi, and J. Donald Warren, Jr, Rutgers University-Newark and New Brunswick.

Information Technology: �The information technology workforce: Trends and implications� by Thomas Abraham of Kean University and Christine Bullen of Stevens Institute of Technology.

Mergers and Acquisitions: �The boundaries of firms in the new economy: M&A�s as a strategic tool toward corporate technological diversification� by John A. Cantwell, Rutgers University-Newark and New Brunswick.

Pharmaceutical Management: �Pharmacy layout: What are consumers� perceptions?� by David P. Paul III, Monmouth University.

Innovation: �Do localized clusters influence creativity of inventors?� by Sherwat E. Ibrahim, M. Hosein Fallah, Richard R. Reilly, Stevens Institute of Technology.

Healthcare: �Medical errors and quality of care: From control to commitment,� by Alok Baveja, Rutgers University-Camden.

Management: �Perceived trustworthiness of knowledge sources: The moderating impact of relationship length,� by Daniel Z. Levin, Rutgers University-Newark and New Brunswick.

Human Resources: �HRM Perspectives on addiction to technology and work,� by Gayle Porter, Rutgers University-Camden.

Finance: �Consumer credit risk management in an emerging market: The case of China,� Xiaoqing Eleanor Xu, Seton Hall.

NJPRO�s Professional Development to New Jersey Educators
Looking for help infusing business skills into the classroom? Looking for training to implement NJPRO�s new business curriculum at your school?

Preparing every one of your students for the workforce is important to NJPRO, and towards that goal, our staff will provide free in-service training at any school in New Jersey to assist educators in using our curriculum and readying your students for the real world.

NJPRO will provide training to as many schools as possible, and we hope to visit your school next.

Contact at 609-393-7707, ext. 201, for more information.

Support Our Research and Help Promote Pro-Growth Policy
Our objective at NJPRO is to provide effective research on the business community and economic conditions to improve policy debate. We recognize the importance of economic progress, greater prudence in government expenditures of taxpayer dollars, a more business-friendly policy environment, and a better understanding of business issues in government.

NJPRO is a nonpartisan, tax-exempt organization that depends solely on the support of corporations, individuals and foundations for its income. It does not accept any government funding.

To make a tax-deductible contribution, please visit: www.njprofoundation.org/contribution/.