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When face-to-face interactions become an occupational hazard: Jobs in the time of COVID-19

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  • Avdiu, Besart
  • Nayyar, Gaurav

Abstract

The vulnerability of jobs to social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic has thus far been analyzed through the lens of home-based work. However, as lockdowns ease, activities intensive in face-to-face interactions with consumers will likely be slower to recover as people continue to exercise social distancing precautions. This paper uses data on 900 job titles from the Occupational Information Network (O*NET) database for the United States to demonstrate substantial heterogeneity in the importance of face-to-face interactions across industries, income groups, and gender. First, industries vary in whether they emphasize face-to-face interactions and home-based work and the two do not always go hand-in-hand. Second, occupations that are more intensive in face-to-face interactions are largely concentrated among lower wage deciles. Third, a larger share of women’s employment is accounted for by occupations that are intensive in face-to-face interactions.

Suggested Citation

  • Avdiu, Besart & Nayyar, Gaurav, 2020. "When face-to-face interactions become an occupational hazard: Jobs in the time of COVID-19," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 197(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:ecolet:v:197:y:2020:i:c:s0165176520304080
    DOI: 10.1016/j.econlet.2020.109648
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Simon Mongey & Laura Pilossoph & Alex Weinberg, 2020. "Which Workers Bear the Burden of Social Distancing Policies?," Working Papers 2020-51, Becker Friedman Institute for Research In Economics.
    2. Maho Hatayama & Mariana Viollaz & Hernan Winkler, 2020. "Jobs’ Amenability to Working from Home: Evidence from Skills Surveys for 53 Countries," CEDLAS, Working Papers 0263, CEDLAS, Universidad Nacional de La Plata.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    COVID-19; Jobs; Face-to-face interactions; Home-based work;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J29 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Other
    • O29 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Development Planning and Policy - - - Other
    • Z00 - Other Special Topics - - General - - - General

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