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Do labor costs affect companies' demand for labor?

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  • Daniel S. Hamermesh

    (University of Texas at Austin, USA)

Abstract

Higher labor costs (higher wage rates and employee benefits) make workers better off, but they can reduce companies' profits, the number of jobs, and the hours each person works. Overtime pay, hiring subsidies, the minimum wage, and payroll taxes are just a few of the policies that affect labor costs. Policies that increase labor costs can substantially affect both employment and hours, in individual companies as well as the overall economy.

Suggested Citation

  • Daniel S. Hamermesh, 2014. "Do labor costs affect companies' demand for labor?," IZA World of Labor, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA), pages 1-3, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izawol:journl:y:2014:n:3
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Cahuc, Pierre & Kramarz, Francis & Nevoux, Sandra, 2021. "The Heterogeneous Impact of Short-Time Work: From Saved Jobs to Windfall Effects," CEPR Discussion Papers 16168, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    2. Arni, Patrick & Eichhorst, Werner & Spermann, Alexander & Zimmermann, Klaus F., 2014. "Mindestlohnevaluation jetzt und nicht erst 2020," IZA Standpunkte 70, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    3. Alexander Karsay, 2021. "Fates of indebted households during the Corona crisis: Survey results from Slovakia," Working and Discussion Papers WP 1/2021, Research Department, National Bank of Slovakia.
    4. Pierre Cahuc & Francis Kramarz & Sandra Nevoux, 2021. "The Heterogeneous Impact of Short-Time Work: From Saved Jobs to Windfall Effects," Sciences Po Economics Discussion Papers hal-03602410, HAL.
    5. Pierre Cahuc & Olivier Charlot & Franck Malherbet & Helène Benghalem & Emeline Limon, 2020. "Taxation of Temporary Jobs: Good Intentions with Bad Outcomes?," The Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 130(626), pages 422-445.
    6. Addison, John T. & Portugal, Pedro & Varejão, José, 2014. "Labor demand research: Toward a better match between better theory and better data," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 30(C), pages 4-11.
    7. Cahuc, Pierre & Malherbet, Franck & Prat, Julien, 2019. "The Detrimental Effect of Job Protection on Employment: Evidence from France," IZA Discussion Papers 12384, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    8. Naomi KODAMA & Izumi YOKOYAMA, 2017. "Labor Market Impact of Labor Cost Increase without Productivity Gain: A natural experiment from the 2003 social insurance premium reform in Japan," Discussion papers 17093, Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI).
    9. repec:spo:wpmain:info:hdl:2441/2ju03cb3kc9a3986bsibii70hd is not listed on IDEAS
    10. Joachim Möller & Karl Brenke & Gert Wagner & Thorsten Schulten & Gustav Horn & Hagen Lesch & Alexander Mayer & Lisa Schmid & Patrick Arni & Werner Eichhorst & Alexander Spermann & Klaus Zimmermann, 2014. "Das Mindestlohngesetz — Hoffnungen und Befürchtungen," Wirtschaftsdienst, Springer;ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, vol. 94(6), pages 387-406, June.
    11. Martin Popp, 2023. "How elastic is labor demand? A meta-analysis for the German labor market," Journal for Labour Market Research, Springer;Institute for Employment Research/ Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), vol. 57(1), pages 1-21, December.
    12. repec:spo:wpecon:info:hdl:2441/2ju03cb3kc9a3986bsibii70hd is not listed on IDEAS
    13. Arni, Patrick & Eichhorst, Werner & Pestel, Nico & Spermann, Alexander & Zimmermann, Klaus F., 2014. "Kein Mindestlohn ohne unabhängige wissenschaftliche Evaluation," IZA Standpunkte 65, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    14. Cahuc, Pierre & Carcillo, Stéphane & Le Barbanchon, Thomas, 2014. "Do Hiring Credits Work in Recessions? Evidence from France," IZA Discussion Papers 8330, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    15. Lingdi Zhao & Shuo Zhang, 2025. "Employment Effects of Technological Progress in U.S. Healthcare: Evidence from Listed Companies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 17(11), pages 1-25, May.

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    Keywords

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    JEL classification:

    • J23 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Labor Demand
    • J20 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - General

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