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The Role of Aggregate Preferences for Labor Supply: Evidence from Low-Paid Employment

Author

Listed:
  • Luke Haywood
  • Michael Neumann
Abstract
Labor supply in the market for low-paid jobs in Germany is strongly influenced by tax exemptions - even for individuals to whom these exemptions do not apply. We present compelling evidence that an individual's choice set depends on other workers' preferences because firms cater their job offers to aggregate preferences in the market. We estimate an equilibrium job search model which rationalizes the strong earnings bunching at the tax exemption threshold using German administrative data. We then simulate modifications to the tax schedule that remove the discontinuity and thus the bunching at the threshold. Results highlight the indirect costs of (discontinuous) tax policies which are shown to be reinforced by firm responses: Workers who would work anyway are hurt by subsidies benefiting groups who enter the market as a result of tax incentives.

Suggested Citation

  • Luke Haywood & Michael Neumann, 2017. "The Role of Aggregate Preferences for Labor Supply: Evidence from Low-Paid Employment," Discussion Papers of DIW Berlin 1652, DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research.
    • Handle: RePEc:diw:diwwpp:dp1652
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    Cited by:

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    2. Tazhitdinova, Alisa, 2015. "Adjust Me if I Can’t: The Effect of Firm Incentives on Labor Supply Responses to Taxes," MPRA Paper 81611, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 2017.
    3. Roantree, Barra & Doorley, Karina, 2023. "Poverty, income inequality and living standards in Ireland: Third annual report," Research Series, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), number JR4.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Tax exemptions; welfare-to-work; labor supply elasticities; minijobs; job search; firm responses; bunching;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J64 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Unemployment: Models, Duration, Incidence, and Job Search
    • J31 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials
    • J22 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Time Allocation and Labor Supply
    • J23 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Labor Demand

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