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COVID-19, Occupation Tasks and Mental Health in Canada

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Abstract

In this paper, we study the effect of COVID-19 on the labour market and reported mental health of Canadians. We document that COVID-19 had drastic impact on labour market outcomes in Canada, with the largest effects for younger and less educated workers. To further understand the effect of the pandemic on the labour market, we build indexes for whether (1) workers are relatively more exposed to disease, (2) work in proximity to coworkers, (3) are essential workers, and (4) can easily work remotely. Our estimates suggest that the impact of COVID- 19 was significantly more severe for workers more exposed to disease and workers that work in proximity to coworkers, while the effects are less severe for essential workers and workers that can work remotely. Last, using the Canadian Perspective Survey, we find that reported mental health is significantly lower among the most affected workers. We also find that those who were absent form work because of COVID-19 are more concerned with meeting their financial obligations and with losing their job than those who continue working outside their home, while those who transition from working outside the home to their home are not as concerned with job loss. Our analysis points to the individuals the most affected by COVID-19.

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  • Louis-Philippe Beland & Abel Brodeur & Derek Mikola & Taylor Wright, 2020. "COVID-19, Occupation Tasks and Mental Health in Canada," Carleton Economic Papers 20-07, Carleton University, Department of Economics, revised 30 Jun 2020.
    • Handle: RePEc:car:carecp:20-07
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    COVID-19; unemployment; wages; remote work; essential workers; exposure to disease; mental health;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I14 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Health and Inequality
    • I18 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health
    • J21 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Labor Force and Employment, Size, and Structure

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