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Does the ILO Definition Capture All Unemployment?

Author

Listed:
  • Andrea Brandolini

    (Bank of Italy, Economic Research Department)

  • Piero Cipollone

    (Bank of Italy, Economic Research Department)

  • Eliana Viviano

    (Bank of Italy, Research Department, Milan Branch)

Abstract

The labour market status of many non-working persons is at the boundary between unemployment and inactivity. Like the unemployed, they seek and are available for work; unlike them, their last search action was not recent enough to meet the ILO definition of unemployment. In this paper we examine by non-parametric tests how the transition probabilities of these out-of-the-labour-force job seekers differ from those of the unemployed as well as the other non-participants. First, using data from the European Community Household Panel, we show that in most EU countries these job seekers constitute a distinct labour market state. Second, we rely on information only available in the Italian Labour Force Survey to derive a measure of search intensity which we use to break down the out-of-the-labour-force job seekers. On the basis of their transition probabilities, the most active are indistinguishable from the unemployed.

Suggested Citation

  • Andrea Brandolini & Piero Cipollone & Eliana Viviano, 2004. "Does the ILO Definition Capture All Unemployment?," Temi di discussione (Economic working papers) 529, Bank of Italy, Economic Research and International Relations Area.
    • Handle: RePEc:bdi:wptemi:td_529_04
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    unemployment; ILO classifications; transition probabilities;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J64 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Unemployment: Models, Duration, Incidence, and Job Search
    • J22 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Time Allocation and Labor Supply
    • R23 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - Household Analysis - - - Regional Migration; Regional Labor Markets; Population

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