Originally published in 1965, this book is concerned with an important yet neglected part of economic life ‘fringe benefits’ which employers provide for and on behalf of their employees apart from wages and salaries. The book sets out results of an inquiry into the costs of supplementary labour costs for manual workers, with an account of the various influences which help to explain differences in expenditure by different firms. The book then gives comparative figures for Western European countries and considers some of the economic effects of the European levels of supplementary labour costs. The situation in the USA is discussed, as is the relationship of employer-financed welfare schemes and State social security programmes. Chapters on pensions, sick pay and redundancy payments are included as well as those dealing with the history of paid holidays and subsidized welfare facilities such as canteens.