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Getting It Right: Employment Subsidy or Minimum Wage?

Author

Listed:
  • Strobl, Eric

    (University of Bern)

  • Walsh, Frank

    (University College Dublin)

Abstract

In monopsony models of the labour market either a minimum wage or an employment subsidy financed by a lump sum tax on profits can achieve the efficient level of employment and output. Incorporating working conditions into a monopsony model where higher wages raise firm labour supply, but less attractive working conditions reduce it, changes these policy implications. Specifically, a minimum wage policy could, in contrast to an employment subsidy, cause working conditions to deteriorate and welfare to fall. Empirical evidence from the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago shows that a minimum wage may indeed cause working conditions to worsen.

Suggested Citation

  • Strobl, Eric & Walsh, Frank, 2002. "Getting It Right: Employment Subsidy or Minimum Wage?," IZA Discussion Papers 662, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp662
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    File URL: https://docs.iza.org/dp662.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Strobl, Eric & Walsh, Frank, 2007. "Dealing with monopsony power: Employment subsidies vs. minimum wages," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 94(1), pages 83-89, January.
    2. Strobl, Eric & Walsh, Frank, 2007. "Estimating the shirking model with variable effort," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 14(3), pages 623-637, June.
    3. Gilles Mourre, 2005. "Wage compression and employment in Europe: First evidence from the structure of earnings survey 2002," European Economy - Economic Papers 2008 - 2015 232, Directorate General Economic and Financial Affairs (DG ECFIN), European Commission.
    4. Ms. Magda E. Kandil & Mrs. Genevieve M Lindow & Mr. Mario Mansilla & Mr. Joel Chiedu Okwuokei & Jochen M. Schmittmann & Qiaoe Chen & Xin Li & Marika Santoro & Solomon Stavis, 2014. "Labor Market Issues in the Caribbean: Scope to Mobilize Employment Growth," IMF Working Papers 2014/115, International Monetary Fund.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    minimum wage; working conditions; monopsony models;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J2 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor
    • J3 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs

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