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The Cyclical Behavior of Labor Force Participation

Author

Listed:
  • Didem Tuzemen
  • Willem Van Zandweghe

Abstract

We document that labor force participation declines in the short run following a positive technology shock. The countercyclical response of labor force participation to a technology shock contrasts with the well documented mild procyclical behavior of labor force participation in the business cycle. In a search model of the labor market that incorporates a participation choice, we show that a positive technology shock reduces labor force participation in the short run under a reasonable calibration. In the calibrated model, discount factor shocks induce a procyclical response of labor force participation. As a result, the model can generate both the countercyclical response to technology shocks and the procyclical behavior, consistent with the evidence. Our results indicate an important role of nontechnology shocks for explaining labor market fluctuations.

Suggested Citation

  • Didem Tuzemen & Willem Van Zandweghe, 2018. "The Cyclical Behavior of Labor Force Participation," Research Working Paper RWP 18-8, Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City.
    • Handle: RePEc:fip:fedkrw:rwp18-08
    DOI: 10.18651/RWP2018-08
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Per Krusell & Toshihiko Mukoyama & Richard Rogerson & Ayşegül Şahin, 2017. "Gross Worker Flows over the Business Cycle," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 107(11), pages 3447-3476, November.
    2. Andreas Hornstein & Marianna Kudlyak, 2019. "Aggregate Labor Force Participation and Unemployment and Demographic Trends," Working Paper 19-8, Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond.
    3. Josué Diwambuena & Francesco Ravazzolo, 2022. "What are the drivers of Labor Productivity?," BEMPS - Bozen Economics & Management Paper Series BEMPS86, Faculty of Economics and Management at the Free University of Bozen.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Labor Force Participation; Unemployment; Technology Shocks; Discount Factor Shocks;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E24 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Employment; Unemployment; Wages; Intergenerational Income Distribution; Aggregate Human Capital; Aggregate Labor Productivity
    • E32 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Prices, Business Fluctuations, and Cycles - - - Business Fluctuations; Cycles
    • J22 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Time Allocation and Labor Supply
    • J64 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Unemployment: Models, Duration, Incidence, and Job Search

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