Do Low-Wage Workers React Less to Longer Unemployment Benefits? Quasi-Experimental Evidence

B-Tier
Journal: Oxford Bulletin of Economics and Statistics
Year: 2014
Volume: 76
Issue: 2
Pages: 185-207

Authors (2)

Mário Centeno (Universidade de Lisboa) Álvaro A. Novo (not in RePEc)

Score contribution per author:

1.009 = (α=2.02 / 2 authors) × 1.0x B-tier

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

Abstract

type="main" xml:lang="en"> <title type="main">Abstract</title> <p>The fact that unemployed workers have different abilities to smooth consumption entails heterogeneous responses to extended unemployment benefits. Our empirical exercise explores a quasi-experimental setting generated by an increase in the benefits entitlement period. The results suggest a hump-shape response of unemployment duration over the one-year pre-unemployment wage distribution; individuals at the bottom and top of the wage distribution reacted less than those in the interquartile range. This behaviour of job searchers is consistent with labour supply models with unemployment insurance and savings. It questions the optimality of very long entitlement periods to target the unemployment experiences of low-wage workers.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:bla:obuest:v:76:y:2014:i:2:p:185-207
Journal Field
General
Author Count
2
Added to Database
2026-01-25