IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/fit/wpaper/36.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

Combining Part-time Work and Social Benefits: Empirical Evidence from Finland

Author

Listed:
  • Salla Kalin

    (Labour Institute for Economic Research Labore)

  • Tomi Kyyrä

    (VATT Institute for Economic Research)

  • Tuomas Matikka

    (VATT Institute for Economic Research)

Abstract

We use detailed, population-wide data from Finland to provide evidence of the impact of earnings disregard policies on part-time work during unemployment spells.The share of part-time workers among benefit recipients increased sharply from 10% to 18% over a few years after the implementation of earnings disregards in unemployment beneifts and housing allowances, which allowed individuals to earn up to 300 euros per month without reductions in their benefits. Using variation in the impact of the reforms on incentives between individuals eligible for different types of benefits, we estimate a 21–30% increase in participation in part-time work due to the implementation of earnings disregards. On average, we find no economically sizable effects of the earnings disregards on future full-time employment or the likelihood of leaving unemployment benefits, but find moderate positive employment effects among those unemployed individuals who are more attached to the labor market.

Suggested Citation

  • Salla Kalin & Tomi Kyyrä & Tuomas Matikka, 2025. "Combining Part-time Work and Social Benefits: Empirical Evidence from Finland," Working Papers 36, Finnish Centre of Excellence in Tax Systems Research.
    • Handle: RePEc:fit:wpaper:36
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://verotutkimus.fi/verotutkimus/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/FIT-WP-36-Kalin-Kyyra-Matikka-Earnings-Disregards.pdf
    File Function: First version, 2025
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Gerfin, Michael & Lechner, Michael & Steiger, Heidi, 2005. "Does subsidised temporary employment get the unemployed back to work? Aneconometric analysis of two different schemes," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 12(6), pages 807-835, December.
    2. McCall, Brian P, 1996. "Unemployment Insurance Rules, Joblessness, and Part-Time Work," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 64(3), pages 647-682, May.
    3. Spencer Bastani & Ylva Moberg & Håkan Selin, 2021. "The Anatomy of the Extensive Margin Labor Supply Response," Scandinavian Journal of Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 123(1), pages 33-59, January.
    4. David S. Lee & Pauline Leung & Christopher J. O’Leary & Zhuan Pei & Simon Quach, 2021. "Are Sufficient Statistics Necessary? Nonparametric Measurement of Deadweight Loss from Unemployment Insurance," Journal of Labor Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 39(S2), pages 455-506.
    5. Raj Chetty & Adam Guren & Day Manoli & Andrea Weber, 2013. "Does Indivisible Labor Explain the Difference between Micro and Macro Elasticities? A Meta-Analysis of Extensive Margin Elasticities," NBER Macroeconomics Annual, University of Chicago Press, vol. 27(1), pages 1-56.
    6. Florent Fremigacci & Antoine Terracol, 2013. "Subsidized temporary jobs: lock-in and stepping stone effects," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 45(33), pages 4719-4732, November.
    7. Florent Fremigacci & Antoine Terracol, 2013. "Subsidized temporary jobs: lock-in and stepping stone effects," Post-Print hal-02879139, HAL.
    8. Kyyrä, Tomi, 2010. "Partial unemployment insurance benefits and the transition rate to regular work," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 54(7), pages 911-930, October.
    9. Michael Gerfin & Michael Lechner, 2002. "A Microeconometric Evaluation of the Active Labour Market Policy in Switzerland," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 112(482), pages 854-893, October.
    10. Kyyrä, Tomi & Parrotta, Pierpaolo & Rosholm, Michael, 2013. "The effect of receiving supplementary UI benefits on unemployment duration," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 21(C), pages 122-133.
    11. Kalin, Salla & Kyyrä, Tomi & Matikka, Tuomas, 2023. "Combining Part-time Work and Social Benefits: Empirical Evidence from Finland," Working Papers 159, VATT Institute for Economic Research.
    12. Tito Boeri & Pierre Cahuc, 2023. "Labor Market Insurance Policies in the Twenty-First Century," Annual Review of Economics, Annual Reviews, vol. 15(1), pages 1-22, September.
    13. Bart Cockx & Christian Goebel & Stéphane Robin, 2013. "Can income support for part-time workers serve as a stepping-stone to regular jobs? An application to young long-term unemployed women," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 44(1), pages 189-229, February.
    14. Kyyrä, Tomi & Pesola, Hanna & Rissanen, Aarne, 2017. "Unemployment Insurance in Finland: A Review of Recent Changes and Empirical Evidence on Behavioral Responses," Research Reports 184, VATT Institute for Economic Research.
    15. Ahammer, Alexander & Packham, Analisa, 2023. "Effects of unemployment insurance duration on mental and physical health," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 226(C).
    16. Essi Eerola & Teemu Lyytikäinen, 2021. "Housing Allowance and Rents: Evidence from a Stepwise Subsidy Scheme," Scandinavian Journal of Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 123(1), pages 84-109, January.
    17. Kyyrä, Tomi & Ollikainen, Virve, 2008. "To search or not to search? The effects of UI benefit extension for the older unemployed," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 92(10-11), pages 2048-2070, October.
    18. Carina Neisser, 2021. "The Elasticity of Taxable Income: A Meta-Regression Analysis [The top 1% in international and historical perspective]," The Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 131(640), pages 3365-3391.
    19. Jordan D. Matsudaira & Rebecca M. Blank, 2014. "The Impact of Earnings Disregards on the Behavior of Low‐Income Families," Journal of Policy Analysis and Management, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 33(1), pages 7-35, January.
    20. Arlene Holen & Stanley Horowitz, 1974. "Partial Unemployment Insurance Benefits and the Extent of Partial Unemployment," Journal of Human Resources, University of Wisconsin Press, vol. 9(3), pages 420-422.
    21. repec:hal:pseose:halshs-00969150 is not listed on IDEAS
    22. Rafael Lalive & Jan C. Van Ours & Josef Zweimüller, 2008. "The Impact of Active Labour Market Programmes on The Duration of Unemployment in Switzerland," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 118(525), pages 235-257, January.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Kalin, Salla & Kyyrä, Tomi & Matikka, Tuomas, 2023. "Combining Part-time Work and Social Benefits: Empirical Evidence from Finland," Working Papers 159, VATT Institute for Economic Research.
    2. Tito Boeri & Pierre Cahuc, 2022. "Labor Market Insurance Policies in the XXI Century," Post-Print hal-03878719, HAL.
    3. Kyyrä, Tomi & Arranz, José M. & García-Serrano, Carlos, 2019. "Does subsidized part-time employment help unemployed workers to find full-time employment?," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 56(C), pages 68-83.
    4. Le Barbanchon, Thomas, 2025. "Taxes Today, Benefits Tomorrow," IZA Discussion Papers 17600, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    5. Nathalie Havet & Xavier Joutard & Alexis Penot, 2019. "Les pratiques d’activité réduite et leurs impacts sur les trajectoires professionnelles : une revue de la littérature," Revue d'économie politique, Dalloz, vol. 129(1), pages 11-47.
    6. Hélène Benghalem & Pierre Cahuc & Pierre Villedieu, 2021. "The Lock-In Effects of Part-Time Unemployment Benefits," Working Papers hal-03389159, HAL.
    7. repec:spo:wpmain:info:hdl:2441/1v5orglviq8epaecq1buersvk5 is not listed on IDEAS
    8. Fabrice Gilles, 2025. "Marginal employment as an incentive to find a regular job? A meta-regression analysis approach," TEPP Working Paper 2025-05, TEPP.
    9. Susanne Ek Spector, 2022. "Should unemployment insurance cover partial unemployment?," IZA World of Labor, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA), pages 199-199, June.
    10. repec:hal:spmain:info:hdl:2441/1v5orglviq8epaecq1buersvk5 is not listed on IDEAS
    11. Auray, Stéphane & Lepage-Saucier, Nicolas, 2021. "Stepping-stone effect of atypical jobs: Could the least employable reap the most benefits?," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 68(C).
    12. Rainer Eppel & Helmut Mahringer, 2019. "Getting a lot out of a little bit of work? The effects of marginal employment during unemployment," Empirica, Springer;Austrian Institute for Economic Research;Austrian Economic Association, vol. 46(2), pages 381-408, May.
    13. Kyyrä, Tomi & Arranz, José María & García-Serrano, Carlos, 2017. "Does Part-Time Work Help Unemployed Workers to Find Full-Time Work? Evidence from Spain," IZA Discussion Papers 10770, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    14. Caliendo, Marco & Künn, Steffen & Uhlendorff, Arne, 2016. "Earnings exemptions for unemployed workers: The relationship between marginal employment, unemployment duration and job quality," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 42(C), pages 177-193.
    15. Kyyrä, Tomi & Pesola, Hanna & Rissanen, Aarne, 2017. "Unemployment Insurance in Finland: A Review of Recent Changes and Empirical Evidence on Behavioral Responses," Research Reports 184, VATT Institute for Economic Research.
    16. Anna Godøy & Knut Røed, 2016. "Unemployment Insurance and Underemployment," LABOUR, CEIS, vol. 30(2), pages 158-179, June.
    17. Florent Fremigacci & Antoine Terracol, 2013. "Subsidized temporary jobs: lock-in and stepping stone effects," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 45(33), pages 4719-4732, November.
    18. Susanne Ek & Bertil Holmlund, 2015. "Part-time unemployment and optimal unemployment insurance," International Tax and Public Finance, Springer;International Institute of Public Finance, vol. 22(2), pages 201-223, April.
    19. Kyyrä, Tomi, 2010. "Partial unemployment insurance benefits and the transition rate to regular work," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 54(7), pages 911-930, October.
    20. Fabrice Gilles & Sabina Issehnane & Florent Sari, 2022. "Using short-term jobs as a way to find a regular job. What kind of role for local context?," TEPP Working Paper 2022-07, TEPP.
    21. Cairo, Sofie & Mahlstedt, Robert, 2021. "Transparency of the Welfare System and Labor Market Outcomes of Unemployed Workers," IZA Discussion Papers 14940, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    22. Stefanie Behncke & Markus Frölich & Michael Lechner, 2010. "Unemployed and their caseworkers: should they be friends or foes?," Journal of the Royal Statistical Society Series A, Royal Statistical Society, vol. 173(1), pages 67-92, January.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    JEL classification:

    • H24 - Public Economics - - Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue - - - Personal Income and Other Nonbusiness Taxes and Subsidies
    • J21 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Labor Force and Employment, Size, and Structure
    • J22 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Time Allocation and Labor Supply

    NEP fields

    This paper has been announced in the following NEP Reports:

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:fit:wpaper:36. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Marjukka Hourunranta (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/fitsrfi.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.