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Wealth, Portfolios, and Unemployment Duration

Author

Listed:
  • Fontaine, Francois

    (Paris School of Economics)

  • Nyborg Jensen, Janne

    (DORS)

  • Vejlin, Rune Majlund

    (Aarhus University)

Abstract

We use administrative data on individual balance sheets in Denmark to document how an individual's financial position affects job search behavior. We look at the effect of wealth at the entry into unemployment on the exit rate from unemployment as well as the effect on the subsequent match quality. The detailed data allows us not only to distinguish between liquid and illiquid parts, but also to decompose each of them into assets and liabilities. The decomposition of wealth into these four components is key to understanding how wealth affects job finding rates. In particular, we show that liquid assets reduce the probability of becoming re-employed, but we do not see an effect of liquid liabilities or the illiquid wealth components, while interest payments speed up re-employment. The results on subsequent match quality in form of job duration and wages are mixed.

Suggested Citation

  • Fontaine, Francois & Nyborg Jensen, Janne & Vejlin, Rune Majlund, 2020. "Wealth, Portfolios, and Unemployment Duration," IZA Discussion Papers 13423, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
  • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp13423
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    non-employment duration; wealth composition; job search behavior;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J6 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers
    • J64 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Unemployment: Models, Duration, Incidence, and Job Search
    • J65 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Unemployment Insurance; Severance Pay; Plant Closings

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