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Job Search Periods for Welfare Applicants: Evidence from a Randomized Experiment

Author

Listed:
  • Jonneke Bolhaar
  • Nadine Ketel
  • Bas van der Klaauw

Abstract

We combine a randomized experiment with administrative data to study the effects of mandatory job search periods in the Dutch welfare system. Job search periods postpone the first welfare benefits payment and encourage applicants to start searching for jobs actively. Job search periods substantially reduce benefits take up. The decline in benefits receipt is permanent, but fully compensated by increased earnings because of higher reemployment rates. We do not find detectable effects on health and crime outcomes, nor do we observe income declines for more vulnerable applicants. Our results suggest that job search periods are an effective instrument for targeting benefits to welfare applicants.

Suggested Citation

  • Jonneke Bolhaar & Nadine Ketel & Bas van der Klaauw, 2019. "Job Search Periods for Welfare Applicants: Evidence from a Randomized Experiment," American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, American Economic Association, vol. 11(1), pages 92-125, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:aea:aejapp:v:11:y:2019:i:1:p:92-125
    Note: DOI: 10.1257/app.20170163
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    Cited by:

    1. Bolhaar, Jonneke & Ketel, Nadine & van der Klaauw, Bas, 2020. "Caseworker's discretion and the effectiveness of welfare-to-work programs," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 183(C).
    2. Coen van de Kraats & Titus Galama & Maarten Lindeboom, 2022. "Why life gets better after age 50, for some: mental well-being and the social norm of work," Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers 22-081/V, Tinbergen Institute.
    3. Amelie Schiprowski, 2020. "The Role of Caseworkers in Unemployment Insurance: Evidence from Unplanned Absences," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 38(4), pages 1189-1225.
    4. Cammeraat, Emile & Jongen, Egbert L. W. & Koning, Pierre, 2017. "Preventing NEETs during the Great Recession: The Effects of a Mandatory Activation Program for Young Welfare Recipients," IZA Discussion Papers 11090, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    5. Bart Cockx & Muriel Dejemeppe & Andrey Launov & Bruno Van der Linden, 2018. "Imperfect Monitoring of Job Search: Structural Estimation and Policy Design," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 36(1), pages 75-120.
    6. Lucy Kok & Caren Tempelman & Pierre Koning & Lennart Kroon & Caroline Berden, 2017. "Do Incentives for Municipalities Reduce the Welfare Caseload? Evaluation of a Welfare Reform in the Netherlands," De Economist, Springer, vol. 165(1), pages 23-42, March.
    7. Lalive, Rafael & Cottier, Lionel & Flueckiger, Yves & Kempeneers, Pierre, 2018. "Does Job Search Assistance Really Raise Employment?," CEPR Discussion Papers 13133, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    8. Emile Cammeraat & Egbert Jongen & Pierre Koning, 2022. "Preventing NEETs during the Great Recession: the effects of mandatory activation programs for young welfare recipients," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 62(2), pages 749-777, February.
    9. Pignatti Clemente & Van Belle Eva, 2021. "Better together: Active and passive labor market policies in developed and developing economies," IZA Journal of Development and Migration, Sciendo & Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit GmbH (IZA), vol. 12(1), pages 1-27, January.
    10. Johannes Kunz & Anna Zhu, 2023. "Welfare Reform and Migrant’s Long-term Labor Market Integration," Papers 2023-05, Centre for Health Economics, Monash University.
    11. Cockx, Bart & Declercq, Koen & Dejemeppe, Muriel & Inga, Leda & Van der Linden, Bruno, 2020. "Switching from an inclining to a zero-level unemployment benefit profile: Good for work incentives?," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 64(C).
    12. Louis N. Christofides & Christos Koutsampelas, 2019. "The social protection system in Cyprus: Recent initiatives and labour market implications," Cyprus Economic Policy Review, University of Cyprus, Economics Research Centre, vol. 13(2), pages 3-47, December.
    13. Vethaak, Heike & de Bruijn, Ernst-Jan & Knoef, Marike & Koning, Pierre, 2025. "Deter and Deteriorate: The Effects of Application Processing Times on Welfare Receipt and Employment," IZA Discussion Papers 17839, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).

    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • C93 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Field Experiments
    • 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
    • J64 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Unemployment: Models, Duration, Incidence, and Job Search

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