Cyclical labor costs within jobs

B-Tier
Journal: European Economic Review
Year: 2019
Volume: 120
Issue: C

Authors (2)

Schaefer, Daniel (not in RePEc) Singleton, Carl (University of Stirling)

Score contribution per author:

1.005 = (α=2.01 / 2 authors) × 1.0x B-tier

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

Abstract

Using UK employer-employee panel data, we present novel facts on how wages and working hours respond to the business cycle within jobs. Firms reacted to the Great Recession with substantial real wage cuts and by recruiting more part-time workers. A one percentage point increase in the unemployment rate led to an average decline in real hourly wages of 2.6% for new hires as well as for job stayers. Hiring hours worked were substantially procyclical, while job-stayer hours were acyclical. These results show that real wages are not rigid and that the labor costs of new hires are especially flexible.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:eee:eecrev:v:120:y:2019:i:c:s0014292119301692
Journal Field
General
Author Count
2
Added to Database
2026-01-29