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Paid vacation use: The role of works councils

Author

Listed:
  • Laszlo Goerke

    (IAAEU – Trier University, Germany; IZA, Bonn, Germany; CESifo, Munich, Germany)

  • Sabrina Jeworrek

    (Halle Institute for Economic Research, Germany; Otto von Guericke University Magdeburg, Germany)

Abstract

The article investigates the relationship between codetermination at the plant level and paid vacation in Germany. From a legal perspective, works councils have no impact on vacation entitlements, but they can affect their use. Employing data from the German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP), the study finds that male employees who work in an establishment, in which a works council exists, take almost two additional days of paid vacation annually, relative to employees in an establishment without such institution. The effect for females is much smaller, if discernible at all. The data suggest that this gender gap might be due to the fact that women exploit vacation entitlements more comprehensively than men already in the absence of a works council.

Suggested Citation

  • Laszlo Goerke & Sabrina Jeworrek, 2021. "Paid vacation use: The role of works councils," Economic and Industrial Democracy, Department of Economic History, Uppsala University, Sweden, vol. 42(3), pages 473-503, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:sae:ecoind:v:42:y:2021:i:3:p:473-503
    DOI: 10.1177/0143831X18777611
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    1. Florian Hett & Markus Kroell & Mario Mechtel, 2019. "The Structure and Behavioral Effects of Revealed Social Identity Preferences," IAAEU Discussion Papers 201903, Institute of Labour Law and Industrial Relations in the European Union (IAAEU).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Gender difference; German Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP); paid vacation; works council;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J22 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Time Allocation and Labor Supply
    • J32 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Nonwage Labor Costs and Benefits; Retirement Plans; Private Pensions
    • J33 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Compensation Packages; Payment Methods
    • J53 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor-Management Relations, Trade Unions, and Collective Bargaining - - - Labor-Management Relations; Industrial Jurisprudence
    • M54 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Personnel Economics - - - Labor Management

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