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Comparing the Effectiveness of Employment Subsidies

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  • Snower, Dennis
  • Merkl, Christian
  • Brown, Alessio

Abstract

This paper analyses theoretically and empirically how employment subsidies should be targeted. We contrast measures involving targeting workers with low incomes/abilities and targeting the unemployed under the criteria of "approximate welfare efficiency" (AWE). Thereby we can identify policies that (a)improve employment and welfare, (b)do not raise earnings inequality and (c)are self-financing. We construct a microfounded, dynamic model of hiring and separations and calibrate it with German data. The calibration shows that hiring vouchers can be AWE, while low-wage subsidies do not satisfy AWE. Furthermore, hiring vouchers targeted at the long-term unemployed are more effective than those targeted at low-ability workers.

Suggested Citation

  • Snower, Dennis & Merkl, Christian & Brown, Alessio, 2007. "Comparing the Effectiveness of Employment Subsidies," CEPR Discussion Papers 6334, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
  • Handle: RePEc:cpr:ceprdp:6334
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Low wage subsidy; Hiring voucher; Targeting; Employment; Unemployment; Duration; Self-financing;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J23 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Labor Demand
    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • J38 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Public Policy
    • J64 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Unemployment: Models, Duration, Incidence, and Job Search
    • J68 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Public Policy

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