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Heterogeneity and long-run changes in aggregate hours and the labor wedge

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  • Cociuba, Simona E.
  • Ueberfeldt, Alexander

Abstract

From 1961 to 2007, U.S. aggregate hours worked increased and the labor wedge—measured as the discrepancy between a representative household׳s marginal rate of substitution and the marginal product of labor—declined substantially. The labor wedge is negatively related to hours and is often attributed to labor income taxes. However, U.S. labor income taxes increased since 1961. We examine a model with gender and marital status heterogeneity which accounts for the trends in the U.S. hours and the labor wedge. Apart from taxes, the model׳s labor wedge reflects non-distortionary cross-sectional differences in households׳ hours worked and productivity. We provide evidence that household heterogeneity is important for long-run changes in labor wedges and hours in other OECD economies.

Suggested Citation

  • Cociuba, Simona E. & Ueberfeldt, Alexander, 2015. "Heterogeneity and long-run changes in aggregate hours and the labor wedge," Journal of Economic Dynamics and Control, Elsevier, vol. 52(C), pages 75-95.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:dyncon:v:52:y:2015:i:c:p:75-95
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jedc.2014.11.016
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    Cited by:

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    2. Benjamin Bridgman, 2016. "Engines of Leisure," BEA Working Papers 0137, Bureau of Economic Analysis.
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    5. Salem Abo-Zaid, 2021. "Taxation, credit frictions and the cyclical behavior of the labor wedge," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 60(4), pages 1777-1816, April.
    6. Zhang, Lini, 2018. "Credit crunches, individual heterogeneity and the labor wedge," Journal of Macroeconomics, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 65-88.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Labor wedge; Household aggregation; Female and male labor supply; Gender wage gap; Labor income taxation;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E24 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Employment; Unemployment; Wages; Intergenerational Income Distribution; Aggregate Human Capital; Aggregate Labor Productivity
    • H20 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - General
    • H31 - Public Economics - - Fiscal Policies and Behavior of Economic Agents - - - Household
    • J22 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Time Allocation and Labor Supply

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