Optimal unemployment policy in a matching equilibrium

B-Tier
Journal: Labour Economics
Year: 2008
Volume: 15
Issue: 4
Pages: 537-559

Score contribution per author:

2.018 = (α=2.02 / 1 authors) × 1.0x B-tier

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

Abstract

This paper considers optimal unemployment policy in a matching equilibrium with risk averse workers and unobserved job search effort. The Planner chooses unemployment benefits, taxes and job creation subsidies to maximise a Utilitarian welfare function. Optimal policy involves a trade-off between higher employment taxes (which finance more generous unemployment benefits) and greater market tightness (which reduces the average unemployment spell). Optimal UI implies the initial UI payment equals the wage, thus ensuring consumption is smooth across the job destruction shock, and UI payments then fall with duration.

Technical Details

RePEc Handle
repec:eee:labeco:v:15:y:2008:i:4:p:537-559
Journal Field
Labor
Author Count
1
Added to Database
2026-01-25