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An analysis of the impact of the self-sufficiency project on wages

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  • Jeffrey Zabel
  • Saul Schwartz
  • Stephen Donald

Abstract

We measure the impact of the Self-Sufficiency Project (a randomized welfare-to-work experiment in Canada; henceforth, SSP) on relative wage progression. SSP provided a generous 3-year earnings supplement to treatment group members who found a full-time job within a year of the start of the experiment (take-up group). We estimate the treatment on the treated for two sub-groups of the take-up group: the incentivized and non-incentivized groups. Using an econometric model of wage determination, we find evidence of large and significant relative wage progression of approximately 9 percentage points during the 3-year supplement period for the incentivized group. The impact for the non-incentivized group is much smaller (at most 3 percentage points). There is also some limited information that the non-incentivized group in New Brunswick and the incentivized groups in both New Brunswick and British Columbia continued to work more after the 3-year supplement period ended. Copyright Springer-Verlag 2013

Suggested Citation

  • Jeffrey Zabel & Saul Schwartz & Stephen Donald, 2013. "An analysis of the impact of the self-sufficiency project on wages," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 44(1), pages 231-259, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:empeco:v:44:y:2013:i:1:p:231-259
    DOI: 10.1007/s00181-010-0387-2
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Jeffrey Grogger, 2009. "Welfare Reform, Returns to Experience, and Wages: Using Reservation Wages to Account for Sample Selection Bias," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 91(3), pages 490-502, August.
    2. David Card & Dean R. Hyslop, 2005. "Estimating the Effects of a Time-Limited Earnings Subsidy for Welfare-Leavers," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 73(6), pages 1723-1770, November.
    3. Jeffrey Zabel & Saul Schwartz & Stephen Donald, 2010. "The impact of the Self‐Sufficiency Project on the employment behaviour of former welfare recipients," Canadian Journal of Economics/Revue canadienne d'économique, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 43(3), pages 882-918, August.
    4. Dean R. Hyslop, 1999. "State Dependence, Serial Correlation and Heterogeneity in Intertemporal Labor Force Participation of Married Women," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 67(6), pages 1255-1294, November.
    5. David Card & Charles Michalopoulos & Philip K. Robins, 2001. "The Limits to Wage Growth: Measuring the Growth Rate of Wages For Recent Welfare Leavers," NBER Working Papers 8444, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    6. Marco Caliendo & Sabine Kopeinig, 2008. "Some Practical Guidance For The Implementation Of Propensity Score Matching," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 22(1), pages 31-72, February.
    7. Ham, John C & LaLonde, Robert J, 1996. "The Effect of Sample Selection and Initial Conditions in Duration Models: Evidence from Experimental Data on Training," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 64(1), pages 175-205, January.
    8. Helen Connolly & Peter Gottschalk, 2009. "Do earnings subsidies affect job choice? The impact of SSP subsidies on job turnover and wage growth," Canadian Journal of Economics, Canadian Economics Association, vol. 42(4), pages 1276-1304, November.
    9. Curtis Eberwein & John C. Ham & Robert J. Lalonde, 1997. "The Impact of Being Offered and Receiving Classroom Training on the Employment Histories of Disadvantaged Women: Evidence from Experimental Data," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 64(4), pages 655-682.
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    Cited by:

    1. Bernd Fitzenberger & Michael Lechner & Jeffrey Smith, 2013. "Estimation of treatment effects: recent developments and applications," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 44(1), pages 1-11, February.
    2. Jeremy Lise & Shannon Seitz & Jeffrey Smith, 2015. "Evaluating search and matching models using experimental data," IZA Journal of Labor Economics, Springer;Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit GmbH (IZA), vol. 4(1), pages 1-35, December.
    3. Kautz, Tim & Heckman, James J. & Diris, Ron & ter Weel, Bas & Borghans, Lex, 2014. "Fostering and Measuring Skills: Improving Cognitive and Non-Cognitive Skills to Promote Lifetime Success," IZA Discussion Papers 8696, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Wage progression; Treatment effect; Propensity score matching; I38; J31;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I38 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - Government Programs; Provision and Effects of Welfare Programs
    • J31 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials

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