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The playbook was developed to give program administrators and managers at the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) and other social programs an overview of how they can use insights from behavioral science to improve the effectiveness of their programs and services. This playbook is a step-by-step guide on how to identify behavioral problems and use strategies informed by behavioral science.

The U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Behavioral Interventions (DOL-BI) project adds to a growing body of evidence indicating that relatively small changes in how programs operate can lead to striking improvements in their performance. In three trials that tested applications of behavioral science, the project team found substantial benefits for three DOL programs. The brief provides details on the design and findings of each trial. This brief focuses on the lessons learned by the team as it identified opportunities for behavioral trials and implemented each one.

Infographic depicting high-level results of the Using Behavioral Interventions to Help Employers Resolve Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Citations Technical Report.

Webinar describing the high-level results of the Using Behavioral Interventions to Improve Take-Up of a Reemployment Program Technical Report.

Infographic depicting high-level results of the Using Behavioral Interventions to Improve Take-Up of a Reemployment Program Technical Report.

The brief presents initial findings on the effects of an intervention designed to encourage Unemployment Insurance (UI) claimants to participate in their state’s Reemployment and Eligibility Assessment (REA) pilot program and persist in their job search. For the study, selected Michigan Works! agencies and the W.E. Upjohn Institute partnered with the U.S.

Finding a job after becoming unemployed can be challenging for many individuals. Even as the unemployment rate has decreased during the recovery from the 2007–2008 financial crisis, the average duration of regular unemployment insurance benefits remains high (15.6 weeks as of January 2017). The Department of Labor (DOL) has long sought effective ways to encourage unemployed workers to engage in services that can help them get reemployed.

Webinar describing the high-level results of the Using Behavioral Interventions to Increase Retirement Savings Technical Report.

Workers across the United States have a right to earn a living without risking their lives. Yet, in 2014, more than 4,800 American workers were killed on the job, and nearly 3 million suffered work-related injuries and illnesses. Previous research suggests that Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) inspections can reduce the risks workers face. However, for inspections to work as intended, OSHA needs employers to respond promptly when workplace inspections reveal unsafe conditions.

The mission of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) is to ensure safe and healthy conditions for workers. OSHA estimates that work-related deaths and injuries have fallen by more than 65 percent since the agency’s creation in 1970. Still, in 2014, more than 4,800 American workers were killed on the job, and nearly 3 million suffered work-related injuries and illnesses.

The brief presents initial findings on the effects of an intervention designed to increase employer responsiveness to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). Through a nationwide randomized controlled trial, researchers tested whether employers who were cited for health and safety violations would be more responsive if OSHA changed the way it issues and follows up on citations.

Webinar describing the high-level results of the Using Behavioral Interventions to Help Employers Resolve Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) Citations Technical Report.

In 2014, the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL’s) Chief Evaluation Office (CEO) contracted with Mathematica Policy Research and ideas to explore the potential of using insights from behavioral science to improve the performance and outcomes of DOL programs. In this study, the DOL Behavioral Interventions (DOL-BI) team partnered with the Human Resources Division of DOL (DOL-HR) and the Employee Benefits Security Administration (EBSA) to explore whether low-cost, behaviorally informed emails would result in more DOL employees saving, or saving more, for retirement.

Preparing for retirement is important. For many workers in the United States, a comfortable retirement may depend on the savings decisions they make now. Failing to save today can have very real consequences as people age, reducing the comforts they get to enjoy during retirement and their ability to cope with health and financial shocks. Following broader Federal policy, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has sought effective strategies for encouraging its employees to increase their retirement savings.

The brief presents initial findings on the effects of an email designed to encourage U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) employees to increase their contributions to the Thrift Savings Plan (TSP)—a plan similar to 401(k) plans in the private sector—and take full advantage of the available employer match.

Infographic depicting high-level results of the Using Behavioral Interventions to Increase Retirement Savings Technical Report.

Finding a job after becoming unemployed can be challenging for many individuals. Even as the unemployment rate has decreased during the recovery from the 2007–2008 financial crisis, the average duration of regular unemployment insurance (UI) benefits remains high (15.6 weeks as of January 2017). In response, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) helps UI claimants find, apply for, and obtain new employment. DOL has long sought effective ways to encourage unemployed workers to engage in services that can help them get reemployed.

Assuring that all workers in the United States have safe and healthful working conditions is the mission of the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA). The Site-Specific Targeting (SST) program, a planned inspection program managed by OSHA, aims to improve health and safety of workplaces under OSHA's jurisdiction by targeting enforcement actions on establishments with historically high injury and illness rates.

The U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) runs a voluntary program that provides free and confidential advice to small and medium-sized establishments on approaches to avoiding workplace injuries and illnesses. This effort, known as the On-site Consultation Program (OSC), operates in addition to—but totally separate from—OSHA’s enforcement activities. Nationwide, OSC performs approximately 27,000 consultation visits per year at establishments that collectively employ more than 1.25 million workers.

Appendix J to the The Effect of Marketing on Demand for Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s (OSHA) On-site Consultation Program Final Report: Brochures and Emails.

In 2016, the Chief Evaluation Office (CEO) partnered with the Employment and Training Administration (ETA) to fund contractors Westat and MDRC to conduct an implementation study and randomized controlled trial (RCT) impact study of the H-1B-funded TechHire Partnership Grants (TechHire) and the Strengthening Working Families Initiative (SWFI). The Department of Labor awarded funds for both of these programs in September 2016.

The report provides an overview of the Site Specific Targeting Program (SST11) and a random assignment evaluation design implemented by Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) to assess the short-term impacts of the program.

In 2014, the Chief Evaluation Office (CEO) contracted with Mathematica Policy Research and ideas42 to explore the potential of using insights from behavioral science to improve the performance and outcomes of the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) programs under the Advancing Behavioral Interventions in Labor Programs portfolio of studies.

In 2014, the Chief Evaluation Office (CEO) contracted with Mathematica Policy Research and ideas42 to explore the potential of using insights from behavioral science to improve outcomes in the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) programs under the Advancing Behavioral Interventions in Labor Programs portfolio of studies.

In 2010, the Chief Evaluation Office (CEO) partnered with the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and funded IMPAQ International and Summit Consulting to conduct the Evaluation of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration’s Site-Specific Targeting Program under the Administrative Data Research and Analysis portfolio of studies.