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Optimal Taxation to Correct Job Mismatching

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Abstract

This paper presents a new efficiency argument for an accommodating taxation policy on high incomes. Job seekers, applying to different segments of a frictional labor market, do not internalize the consequences of mismatch on the entry decision of firms. Workers are not selective enough, resulting in a lower average job productivity and suboptimal job creation. The output-maximizing policy is anti-redistributive to improve the quality of the jobs prospected. As an income tax affects the sharing of the match surplus, a tax on production (or profits) is required to redress the slope of the wage curve. Neither a minimum wage nor unemployment benefits can fully decentralize optimal search behaviors.

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  • Guillaume Wilemme, 2017. "Optimal Taxation to Correct Job Mismatching," AMSE Working Papers 1723, Aix-Marseille School of Economics, France.
    • Handle: RePEc:aim:wpaimx:1723
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    Cited by:

    1. Breda, Thomas & Haywood, Luke & Wang, Haomin, 2024. "Equilibrium effects of payroll tax reductions and optimal policy design," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 91(C).
    2. Bagger, Jesper & Moen, Espen R. & Vejlin, Rune Majlund, 2021. "Equilibrium Worker-Firm Allocations and the Deadweight Losses of Taxation," IZA Discussion Papers 14865, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    3. Thomas Breda & Luke Haywood & Haomin Wang, 2024. "Equilibrium effects of payroll tax reductions and optimal policy design," Post-Print hal-04873024, HAL.
    4. Estache, Antonio & Foucart, Renaud, 2021. "On the political economy of industrial, labor and social reforms as complements," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 137(C).
    5. Peltonen, Juho, 2023. "On the efficiency of labor markets with short-time work policies," MPRA Paper 119165, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    6. Jesper Bagger & Espen Moen & Rune Vejlin, 2018. "Optimal Taxation with On-the-Job Search," 2018 Meeting Papers 805, Society for Economic Dynamics.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    anti-redistributive taxation; composition externality; job quality; mismatch; search strategy;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H21 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Efficiency; Optimal Taxation
    • H23 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Externalities; Redistributive Effects; Environmental Taxes and Subsidies
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • J42 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Particular Labor Markets - - - Monopsony; Segmented Labor Markets

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