Professor Emeritus Peter S Barth

Peter S. Barth, retired professor and former Head of the Economics Department at the University of Connecticut, was active in the fields of workmen's compensation, manpower, and labor markets. After receiving his Ph.D. in 1965, Barth was a professor at Ohio State University. A lecturer and advisor for several governmental institutions, Barth was appointed as a Brookings Institute Economic Policy Fellow for 1971-1972 and then Director of the Office of Research with the U.S. Department of Labor (1972-1973). Barth was a professor of Economics at the University of Connecticut from 1973 until his retirement.

The National Commission on State Workmen's Compensation Laws was created in Section 27 of the Occupational Safety and Health Administration legislation passed in 1970. The Commission's purpose was to issue a report based on its findings, the first time a federal level agency examined individual workmen's compensation laws.

President Richard M. Nixon appointed the members of the National Commission on Workmen's Compensation Laws, and asked Barth to serve as executive director. His duties included hiring staff, organization of the hearings, identification of witnesses, and oversight of Commission activities.

During the summer of 1972, two publications resulted from the Commission, Supplemental Studies of National Commission on Workmen's Compensation Laws and Compendium on Workmen's Compensation Laws. The Report of the National Commission on Workmen's Compensation was submitted to the President and Congress as specified in the 1970 legislation.

Following the Commission's work, a number of states re-examined their workmen's compensation laws and made revisions and improvements.