Labor Market Frictions and Moving Costs of the Employed and Unemployed

A-Tier
Journal: Journal of Human Resources
Year: 2022
Volume: 57
Issue: S

Score contribution per author:

4.022 = (α=2.01 / 1 authors) × 2.0x A-tier

α: calibrated so average coauthorship-adjusted count equals average raw count

Abstract

Search frictions and switching costs may grant monopsony power to incumbent employers by reducing workers’ outside options. This paper examines the role of labor market frictions and moving costs in explaining worker flows across U.S. labor markets. Using data on non-college-educated workers from the Survey of Income and Program Participation (SIPP), I estimate a dynamic model of job search and location choice. I find that moving costs are substantial and that labor market frictions primarily inhibit the employed. Reducing these frictions would result in a higher wage elasticity of labor supply to the firm and could reduce employer monopsony power.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:uwp:jhriss:v:57:y:2022:i:s:p:s137-s166
Journal Field
Labor
Author Count
1
Added to Database
2026-01-29