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Optimal Unemployment Insurance: How Important Is The Demand Side?

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  • Vejlin, Rune

Abstract

I develop and calibrate an equilibrium search model with endogenous savings and search intensity. The wage is endogenized using Nash bargaining and the number of vacancies is tied down by a free entry condition. This allows me to conduct a counterfactual analysis of the optimal unemployment insurance (UI) level. The provision of UI is motivated by the worker's inability to perfectly insure against income shocks, but at the same time UI introduces distortions into workers' search intensity decisions and firm vacancy creation. I find that equilibrium effects are important. When the UI level is raised 25%, they constitute around one-third of the increase in total unemployment. However, even with limited savings by workers, optimal UI is close to zero. It is further shown that ignoring the possibility of self-insurance greatly affects the optimal UI level.

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  • Vejlin, Rune, 2017. "Optimal Unemployment Insurance: How Important Is The Demand Side?," Macroeconomic Dynamics, Cambridge University Press, vol. 21(8), pages 2070-2095, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:cup:macdyn:v:21:y:2017:i:08:p:2070-2095_00
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    Cited by:

    1. Jan Eeckhout & Alireza Sepahsalari, 2020. "The Effect of Wealth on Worker Productivity," Bristol Economics Discussion Papers 20/731, School of Economics, University of Bristol, UK.
    2. Mark Strøm Kristoffersen, 2012. "Business Cycle Dependent Unemployment Benefits with Wealth Heterogeneity and Precautionary Savings," Economics Working Papers 2012-19, Department of Economics and Business Economics, Aarhus University.
    3. Mukoyama, Toshihiko, 2013. "Understanding the welfare effects of unemployment insurance policy in general equilibrium," Journal of Macroeconomics, Elsevier, vol. 38(PB), pages 347-368.
    4. Nagler, Paula, 2015. "The impact of unemployment insurance savings accounts on subsequent employment quality," MERIT Working Papers 2015-026, United Nations University - Maastricht Economic and Social Research Institute on Innovation and Technology (MERIT).

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • D3 - Microeconomics - - Distribution
    • D9 - Microeconomics - - Micro-Based Behavioral Economics
    • E2 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment
    • E61 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Macroeconomic Policy, Macroeconomic Aspects of Public Finance, and General Outlook - - - Policy Objectives; Policy Designs and Consistency; Policy Coordination
    • J6 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers

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