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Benefit Entitlement and the Labor Market: Evidence from a Large-Scale Policy Change

Author

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  • Lalive, Rafael

    (University of Lausanne)

  • Zweimüller, Josef

    (University of Zurich)

Abstract
This paper analyzes the impact of the Austrian Regional Extended Benefit Program (REBP) on the labor market outcomes for elderly workers in Austria. The REBP extended entitlement to regular unemployment benefits from 30 weeks to a maximum of 209 weeks for elderly individuals in certain regions. This policy change created a large-scale quasi-experimental situation from which a lot can be learned about the impact of unemployment insurance rules on the dynamics of employment, unemployment, and wages. We find that the REBP led to a tremendous increase in unemployment, which was due to both an increase in the inflow to and the outflow from unemployment. The REBP also induced a strong increase in early retirement and in many cases, in particular for steel workers, entering unemployment meant withdrawal from the labor force. Finally, we show that there were also non-negligible effects of extended benefits on the level and the distribution of wages.

Suggested Citation

  • Lalive, Rafael & Zweimüller, Josef, 2002. "Benefit Entitlement and the Labor Market: Evidence from a Large-Scale Policy Change," IZA Discussion Papers 444, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp444
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    2. Thiess Büttner & Peter Egger & Herbert Hofmann & Christian Holzner & Mario Larch & Volker Meier & Chang Woon Nam & Rigmar Osterkamp & Rüdiger Parsche & Martin Werding, 2006. "Tu felix Austria: Wachstums- und Beschäftigungspolitik in Österreich und Deutschland im Vergleich," ifo Forschungsberichte, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich, number 31, September.
    3. Christensen, Björn, 2003. "Die Reform der Arbeitslosenversicherung im Zuge der Agenda 2010 und ihr Einfluss auf die Arbeitslosigkeitsdauer: Simulationsergebnisse auf Basis der nicht-stationären Suchtheorie," Kiel Working Papers 1171, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel).
    4. Rafael Lalive & Jan Ours & Josef Zweimüller, 2011. "Equilibrium unemployment and the duration of unemployment benefits," Journal of Population Economics, Springer;European Society for Population Economics, vol. 24(4), pages 1385-1409, October.
    5. Konstantinos Tatsiramos & Jan C. Ours, 2014. "Labor Market Effects Of Unemployment Insurance Design," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(2), pages 284-311, April.
    6. Lalive, Rafael, 2008. "How do extended benefits affect unemployment duration A regression discontinuity approach," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 142(2), pages 785-806, February.
    7. Rafael Lalive & Jan Van Ours & Josef Zweimuller, 2006. "How Changes in Financial Incentives Affect the Duration of Unemployment," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 73(4), pages 1009-1038.
    8. Arslan, Yavuz & Taskin, Temel, 2011. "Explaining the gender gaps in unemployment across OECD countries," MPRA Paper 34873, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    9. Lalive, Rafael & Zweimuller, Josef, 2004. "Benefit entitlement and unemployment duration: The role of policy endogeneity," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 88(12), pages 2587-2616, December.
    10. Lionel Cottier & Kathrin Degen & Rafael Lalive, 2020. "Can unemployment benefit cuts improve employment and earnings?," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 59(2), pages 659-699, August.
    11. Zweimüller, Josef, 2018. "Unemployment insurance and the labor market," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 53(C), pages 1-14.
    12. Hebous, Shafik & Weichenrieder, Alfons J., 2015. "Towards a fiscal union? On the acceptability of a fiscal transfer system in the eurozone," SAFE White Paper Series 28, Leibniz Institute for Financial Research SAFE.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    inequality; early retirement; earnings; duration of unemployment; unemployment inflow; maximum benefit duration; Quasi-experiments;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C41 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Econometric and Statistical Methods: Special Topics - - - Duration Analysis; Optimal Timing Strategies
    • J64 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Unemployment: Models, Duration, Incidence, and Job Search
    • J65 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Unemployment Insurance; Severance Pay; Plant Closings

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