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Public Sector Wage Policy and Labor Market Equilibrium: A Structural Model

Author

Listed:
  • Jake Bradley
  • Fabien Postel-Vinay
  • Hélène Turon

Abstract

We develop and estimate a structural model that incorporates a sizeable public sector in a labor market with search frictions. The wage distribution and the employment rate in the public sector are taken as exogenous policy parameters. Overall wage distribution and employment rate are determined within the model, taking into account the private sector’s endogenous response to public sector employment policies. Job turnover is sector specific and transitions between sectors depend on the worker’s decision to accept alternative employment in the same or different sector by comparing the value of employment in the current and prospective jobs. The model is estimated on British data by a method of moments. We use the model to simulate the impact of various counterfactual public sector wage and employment policies.

Suggested Citation

  • Jake Bradley & Fabien Postel-Vinay & Hélène Turon, 2017. "Public Sector Wage Policy and Labor Market Equilibrium: A Structural Model," Journal of the European Economic Association, European Economic Association, vol. 15(6), pages 1214-1257.
    • Handle: RePEc:oup:jeurec:v:15:y:2017:i:6:p:1214-1257.
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1093/jeea/jvw026
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Fabien Postel-Vinay & Hélène Turon, 2007. "The Public Pay Gap in Britain: Small Differences That (Don't?) Matter," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 117(523), pages 1460-1503, October.
    2. repec:hal:spmain:info:hdl:2441/8846 is not listed on IDEAS
    3. Yann Algan & Pierre Cahuc & André Zylberberg, 2002. "Public employment and labour market performance [‘On the benefits from rigid labour markets: Norms, market failures and social insurances’]," Economic Policy, CEPR, CESifo, Sciences Po;CES;MSH, vol. 17(34), pages 7-66.
    4. James Albrecht & Monica Robayo-Abril & Susan Vroman, 2019. "Public-sector Employment in an Equilibrium Search and Matching Model," The Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 129(617), pages 35-61.
    5. repec:hal:wpspec:info:hdl:2441/8846 is not listed on IDEAS
    6. Christopher A. Pissarides, 2000. "Equilibrium Unemployment Theory, 2nd Edition," MIT Press Books, The MIT Press, edition 1, volume 1, number 0262161877, April.
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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • E24 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Employment; Unemployment; Wages; Intergenerational Income Distribution; Aggregate Human Capital; Aggregate Labor Productivity
    • J21 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Labor Force and Employment, Size, and Structure
    • J68 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Public Policy

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