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The impact of a minimum wage change on the distribution of wages and household income

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  • Paul Redmond
  • Karina Doorley
  • Seamus McGuinness

Abstract

We use distribution regression analysis to study the impact of a 6% increase in the Irish minimum wage on the distribution of hourly wages and household income. Wage inequality, measured by the ratio of wages in the 90th and 10th percentiles and the 75th and 25th percentiles, decreased by approximately 8 and 4%, respectively. The results point towards wage spillover effects up to the 30th percentile of the wage distribution. We show that minimum wage workers are spread throughout the household income distribution and are often located in high-income households. Therefore, while we observe strong effects on the wage distribution, the impact of a minimum wage increase on the household income distribution is quite limited.

Suggested Citation

  • Paul Redmond & Karina Doorley & Seamus McGuinness, 2021. "The impact of a minimum wage change on the distribution of wages and household income," Oxford Economic Papers, Oxford University Press, vol. 73(3), pages 1034-1056.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:oxecpp:v:73:y:2021:i:3:p:1034-1056.
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    Cited by:

    1. Redmond, Paul & Maître, Bertrand & McGuinness, Seamus & Maragkou, Konstantina, 2021. "A comparative assessment of minimum wage employment in Europe," Research Series, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), number RS123, June.
    2. Roantree, Barra & Barrett, Michelle & Redmond, Paul, 2022. "Poverty, income inequality and living standards in Ireland: 2nd annual report," Research Series, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), number JR1, June.
    3. Keane, Claire & O'Malley, Seamus & Tuda, Dora, 2021. "The Distributional Impact of Pension Auto-enrolment," Papers WP707, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI).
    4. Doorley, Karina & Privalko, Ivan & Russell, Helen & Tuda, Dora, 2021. "The Gender Pay Gap in Ireland from Austerity through Recovery," IZA Discussion Papers 14441, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    5. Redmond, Paul, 2020. "Minimum wage policy in Ireland," Papers BP2021/2, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI).
    6. Roantree, Barra & Doorley, Karina, 2023. "Poverty, income inequality and living standards in Ireland: Third annual report," Research Series, Economic and Social Research Institute (ESRI), number JR4, June.
    7. Artur Sikora, 2021. "The minimum wage in Poland and its connection to unemployment: Evaluating causality," Zeszyty Naukowe Małopolskiej Wyższej Szkoły Ekonomicznej w Tarnowie / The Malopolska School of Economics in Tarnow Research Papers Collection, Malopolska School of Economics in Tarnow, vol. 50(2), pages 65-77, June.

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    JEL classification:

    • J31 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials
    • J38 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Public Policy
    • K31 - Law and Economics - - Other Substantive Areas of Law - - - Labor Law

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