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Seniority wages and establishment characteristics

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  • Zwick, Thomas

Abstract

A representative linked employer–employee panel and an innovative two-step estimation strategy are used to show that large and profitable establishments as well as establishments with a highly qualified workforce pay high seniority wages. Also collective bargaining coverage, works councils and reduced working time for older employees are positively correlated with seniority wages, the share of foreigners, females as well as initial wage levels for job entrants are negatively correlated. These results support an agency based motivation for seniority wages with older employees' wages set higher than their productivity.

Suggested Citation

  • Zwick, Thomas, 2011. "Seniority wages and establishment characteristics," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 18(6), pages 853-861.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:labeco:v:18:y:2011:i:6:p:853-861
    DOI: 10.1016/j.labeco.2011.06.003
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    5. Hirsch, Boris & Jahn, Elke J., 2012. "Is There Monopsonistic Discrimination against Immigrants? First Evidence from Linked Employer-Employee Data," IZA Discussion Papers 6472, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
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    7. Uwe Jirjahn, 2015. "Research on Trade Unions and Collective Bargaining in Germany: The Contribution of Labor Economics," Research Papers in Economics 2015-10, University of Trier, Department of Economics.
    8. Chandra, Shalini & Shirish, Anuragini & Srivastava, Shirish C., 2020. "Theorizing technological spatial intrusion for ICT enabled employee innovation: The mediating role of perceived usefulness," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 161(C).
    9. John G. Sessions & John D. Skåtun, 2017. "Performance-Related Pay, Efficiency Wages and the Shape of the Tenure-Earnings Profile," Manchester School, University of Manchester, vol. 85(3), pages 295-319, June.
    10. Uwe Jirjahn, 2013. "Der Beitrag der Arbeitsmarktökonomik zur Erforschung von Gewerkschaften und Tarifvertragsbeziehungen in Deutschland," Research Papers in Economics 2013-03, University of Trier, Department of Economics.
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    12. Thomas Zwick, 2012. "Consequences of Seniority Wages on the Employment Structure," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 65(1), pages 108-125, January.
    13. Christine Mayrhuber & Silvia Rocha-Akis, 2013. "Anreizsysteme zur Weiterbeschäftigung älterer Arbeitnehmerinnen und Arbeitnehmer," WIFO Studies, WIFO, number 46905, February.
    14. John S. Heywood & Uwe Jirjahn, 2016. "The hiring and employment of older workers in Germany: a comparative perspective [Die Beschäftigung und Neueinstellung älterer Arbeitnehmer in Deutschland: Eine vergleichende Perspektive]," Journal for Labour Market Research, Springer;Institute for Employment Research/ Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), vol. 49(4), pages 349-366, December.
    15. Oz Shy, 2021. "College Education, Earning Inequality, and Market Power," Journal of Labor Research, Springer, vol. 42(3), pages 334-357, December.
    16. Fackler, Daniel & Schank, Thorsten & Schnabel, Claus, 2015. "Does the plant size–wage differential increase with tenure? Affirming evidence from German panel data," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 135(C), pages 9-11.
    17. Mohrenweiser, Jens, 2022. "Works Councils," GLO Discussion Paper Series 1103, Global Labor Organization (GLO).
    18. Shy, Oz & Stenbacka, Rune, 2018. "Dynamic labor market competition and wage seniority," International Journal of Industrial Organization, Elsevier, vol. 61(C), pages 130-154.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Seniority wages; Establishment characteristics; Linked employer–employee data;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J14 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics - - - Economics of the Elderly; Economics of the Handicapped; Non-Labor Market Discrimination
    • J21 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Labor Force and Employment, Size, and Structure
    • J31 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials

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