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Distributional and Behavioural Effects of the German Labour Market Reform

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  • Clauss, Markus
  • Schnabel, Reinhold

Abstract

We estimate the effects of the reform of the German Unemployment Insurance that replaced the wage related Unemployment Assistance with an income maintenance program and stronger means testing. We model the tax-benefit system and use the Socio-Economic Panel. We estimate a discrete labour supply model and simulate the behavioural and distributional effects using the pseudo-distribution method. Poverty and inequality decline overall, since households with children and low income gain, while those who used to earn high wages and received high unemployment transfers lose most. The behavioural responses mitigate the redistributive impact of the reform.

Suggested Citation

  • Clauss, Markus & Schnabel, Reinhold, 2008. "Distributional and Behavioural Effects of the German Labour Market Reform," ZEW Discussion Papers 08-006, ZEW - Zentrum für Europäische Wirtschaftsforschung / Center for European Economic Research.
    • Handle: RePEc:zbw:zewdip:7017
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    7. Sen, Amartya K, 1976. "Poverty: An Ordinal Approach to Measurement," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 44(2), pages 219-231, March.
    8. Creedy, John & Duncan, Alan, 2002. " Behavioural Microsimulation with Labour Supply Responses," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 16(1), pages 1-39, February.
    9. Laisney, François & Beninger, Denis, 2002. "Comparison between unitary and collective models of household labor supply with taxation," ZEW Discussion Papers 02-65, ZEW - Zentrum für Europäische Wirtschaftsforschung / Center for European Economic Research.
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    12. Jacobebbinghaus, Peter & Steiner, Viktor, 2003. "Reforming Social Welfare as We Know It? A Microsimulation Study for Germany," ZEW Discussion Papers 03-33, ZEW - Zentrum für Europäische Wirtschaftsforschung / Center for European Economic Research.
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    Cited by:

    1. Bräuninger, Michael & Michaelis, Jochen & Sode, Madlen, 2013. "10 Jahre Hartz-Reformen," HWWI Policy Papers 73, Hamburg Institute of International Economics (HWWI).
      • Michael Bräuninger & Jochen Michaelis & Madlen Sode, 2013. "10 Jahre Hartz-Reformen," MAGKS Papers on Economics 201318, Philipps-Universität Marburg, Faculty of Business Administration and Economics, Department of Economics (Volkswirtschaftliche Abteilung).
    2. Clauss, Markus & Schubert, Stefanie, 2009. "The ZEW combined microsimulation-CGE model: innovative tool for applied policy analysis," ZEW Discussion Papers 09-062, ZEW - Zentrum für Europäische Wirtschaftsforschung / Center for European Economic Research.
    3. Merda, Meiko & Braeseke, Grit & Dreher, Birger & Bauer, Thomas K. & Mennicken, Roman & Otten, Sebastian & Scheuer, Markus & Stroka, Magdalena A. & Talmann, Anna E. & Braun, Helmut, 2012. "Chancen zur Gewinnung von Fachkräften in der Pflegewirtschaft: Kurzfassung. Studie im Auftrag des Bundesministeriums für Wirtschaft und Technologie," RWI Projektberichte, RWI - Leibniz-Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung, number 72586.
    4. Norbert Berthold & Mustafa Coban, 2014. "Kombilöhne gegen Erwerbsarmut: Warum die USA erfolgreicher sind als Deutschland," Wirtschaftsdienst, Springer;German National Library of Economics, vol. 94(2), pages 118-124, February.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    distribution analysis; household labour supply; microsimulation; poverty; Germany;

    JEL classification:

    • H31 - Public Economics - - Fiscal Policies and Behavior of Economic Agents - - - Household
    • J22 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Time Allocation and Labor Supply
    • I38 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - Government Programs; Provision and Effects of Welfare Programs
    • I32 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - Measurement and Analysis of Poverty
    • D31 - Microeconomics - - Distribution - - - Personal Income and Wealth Distribution

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