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Labor market regulations and firm adjustments in skill demand

Author

Listed:
  • Bottasso, Anna
  • Bratti, Massimiliano
  • Cardullo, Gabriele
  • Conti, Maurizio
  • Sulis, Giovanni

Abstract

We study how changes in labor market regulations may trigger firm adjustments in skill demand. Leveraging rich administrative data from Italy, we investigate the effects of a reform that, to increase job stability, reduced the firing costs for permanent employees and tightened the regulation of fixed-term contracts. Using a difference-in-differences (DID) design, we document that the reform had unintended effects, inducing firms to increase layoffs of low-skilled (LS) permanent employees and reduce hires of LS workers on fixed-term contracts. However, the reform had no effect on high-skilled workers or permanent hires. A theoretical search and matching model with heterogeneous skills and contract durations makes sense of our main findings.

Suggested Citation

  • Bottasso, Anna & Bratti, Massimiliano & Cardullo, Gabriele & Conti, Maurizio & Sulis, Giovanni, 2025. "Labor market regulations and firm adjustments in skill demand," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 242(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:pubeco:v:242:y:2025:i:c:s0047272724002287
    DOI: 10.1016/j.jpubeco.2024.105292
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Labor market regulations; Employment protection; Fixed-term work; Skill demand; Worker flows;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J21 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Labor Force and Employment, Size, and Structure
    • J41 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Particular Labor Markets - - - Labor Contracts
    • J63 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Turnover; Vacancies; Layoffs
    • J64 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Unemployment: Models, Duration, Incidence, and Job Search
    • K31 - Law and Economics - - Other Substantive Areas of Law - - - Labor Law

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