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Minimum wages and training

Author

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  • Lechthaler, Wolfgang
  • Snower, Dennis J.

Abstract

The paper analyzes the influence of minimum wages on firms' incentive to train their employees. We show that this influence rests on two countervailing effects: minimum wages (i) augment wage compression and thereby raise firms' incentives to train and (ii) reduce the profitability of employees, raise the firing rate and thereby reduce training. Our analysis shows that the relative strength of these two effects depends on the employees' ability levels. Our striking result is that minimum wages give rise to skills inequality: a rise in the minimum wage leads to less training for low-ability workers and more training for those of higher ability. In short, minimum wages create a "low-skill trap." We indicate that this effect may be important empirically. Finally, including workers' incentives to train themselves makes no major difference to our results.

Suggested Citation

  • Lechthaler, Wolfgang & Snower, Dennis J., 2008. "Minimum wages and training," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 15(6), pages 1223-1237, December.
  • Handle: RePEc:eee:labeco:v:15:y:2008:i:6:p:1223-1237
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Moretti, Luca & Mayerl, Martin & Mühlemann, Samuel & Schlögl, Peter & Wolter, Stefan C., 2017. "So Similar and Yet So Different: A Comparative Analysis of a Firm's Cost and Benefits of Apprenticeship Training in Austria and Switzerland," IZA Discussion Papers 11081, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    2. Bossler, Mario & Gürtzgen, Nicole & Lochner, Benjamin & Betzl, Ute & Feist, Lisa & Wegmann, Jakob, 2018. "Auswirkungen des gesetzlichen Mindestlohns auf Betriebe und Unternehmen," IAB-Forschungsbericht 201804, Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), Nürnberg [Institute for Employment Research, Nuremberg, Germany].
    3. Lechthaler, Wolfgang & Snower, Dennis J., 2012. "Institutions and training inequality," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 28(1), pages 88-104.
    4. HARA Hiromi, 2015. "The Effects of Minimum Wages on Training," Discussion papers 15075, Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI).
    5. Lutz Bellmann & Mario Bossler & Hans-Dieter Gerner & Olaf Hübler, 2017. "Training and minimum wages: first evidence from the introduction of the minimum wage in Germany," IZA Journal of Labor Economics, Springer;Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit GmbH (IZA), vol. 6(1), pages 1-22, December.
    6. Bossler, Mario & Gürtzgen, Nicole & Lochner, Benjamin & Betzl, Ute & Feist, Lisa, 2018. "The German minimum wage: Effects on business expectations, profitability, and investments," FAU Discussion Papers in Economics 13/2018, Friedrich-Alexander University Erlangen-Nuremberg, Institute for Economics.
    7. Hristos Doucouliagos & Katarina Zigova, 2024. "Minimum Wages and Human Capital Investment: A Meta-Regression Analysis," Economics of Education Working Paper Series 0219, University of Zurich, Department of Business Administration (IBW).
    8. Katalin Bodnár & Ludmila Fadejeva & Stefania Iordache & Liina Malk & Desislava Paskaleva & Jurga Pesliakaitė & Nataša Todorović Jemec & Peter Tóth & Robert Wyszyński, 2018. "How do firms adjust to rises in the minimum wage? Survey evidence from Central and Eastern Europe," IZA Journal of Labor Policy, Springer;Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit GmbH (IZA), vol. 7(1), pages 1-30, December.
    9. Luca Moretti & Martin Mayerl & Samuel Muehlemann & Peter Schloegl & Stefan C. Wolter, 2017. "So similar and yet so different: A comparative analysis of a firm's net costs and post-apprenticeship training benefits in Austria and Switzerland," Economics of Education Working Paper Series 0137, University of Zurich, Department of Business Administration (IBW), revised Apr 2018.
    10. Gregory, Terry & Zierahn, Ulrich, 2020. "When the Minimum Wage Really Bites Hard: Impact on Top Earners and Skill Supply," IZA Discussion Papers 13633, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    11. Wolfgang Lechthaler, 2009. "The interaction of firing costs and firm training," Empirica, Springer;Austrian Institute for Economic Research;Austrian Economic Association, vol. 36(3), pages 331-350, August.
    12. Boss, Alfred & Dovern, Jonas & Meier, Carsten-Patrick & Oskamp, Frank & Scheide, Joachim, 2008. "Deutschland: Robuste Binnenkonjunktur - Dämpfer aus dem Ausland," Open Access Publications from Kiel Institute for the World Economy 4306, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel).
    13. Hara, Hiromi, 2017. "Minimum wage effects on firm-provided and worker-initiated training," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 47(C), pages 149-162.
    14. Gregory, Terry & Zierahn, Ulrich, 2022. "When the minimum wage really bites hard: The negative spillover effect on high-skilled workers," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 206(C).
    15. Schumann, Mathias, 2017. "The effects of minimum wages on firm-financed apprenticeship training," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 47(C), pages 163-181.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    J24 J31 Minimum Wage Firm Training Skills Inequality;

    JEL classification:

    • J24 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
    • J31 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials

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