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Employee relations and firm risk: Evidence from court rooms

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  • Unsal, Omer

Abstract

In this study, we examine the relation between employee lawsuit and risk in U.S. public firms. We hand collect more than 20,000 employee lawsuits and find that labor-related allegations significantly affect firm risk after controlling for various firm characteristics. We document that a greater number of employee litigation increases firm risk. Our results remain robust when we use alternative measures of employee lawsuits, including other work-related complaints, violations, disputes, and allegations. Our study reveals that case characteristics - charging parties, outcomes, and duration - play a significant role in defining the firm risk. Our results show the importance of employee treatment which may have important implications for policy makers and business owners.

Suggested Citation

  • Unsal, Omer, 2019. "Employee relations and firm risk: Evidence from court rooms," Research in International Business and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 48(C), pages 1-16.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:riibaf:v:48:y:2019:i:c:p:1-16
    DOI: 10.1016/j.ribaf.2018.11.003
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Litigation; Employee rights; Risk reduction; Firm performance; Labor force;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • K31 - Law and Economics - - Other Substantive Areas of Law - - - Labor Law
    • K41 - Law and Economics - - Legal Procedure, the Legal System, and Illegal Behavior - - - Litigation Process
    • E25 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Aggregate Factor Income Distribution
    • J21 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Labor Force and Employment, Size, and Structure

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