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Labor Protection Laws and Bank Loan Contracting

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  • Azizjon Alimov

Abstract

This paper examines the impact of labor regulations that restrict firms' flexibility to adjust labor resources on the cost of corporate bank loans. Using within-country variation in employment protection legislation across 25 countries, I find that increases in employment protection lead to higher loan spreads, tighter nonprice loan contract terms, and more diffuse loan ownership structure. The effects of labor regulations are greater in industries with a higher rate of labor turnover and among borrowers with a higher probability of default. These results suggest that rigidities imposed by labor regulations have a significant impact on firms' cost of capital.

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  • Azizjon Alimov, 2015. "Labor Protection Laws and Bank Loan Contracting," Journal of Law and Economics, University of Chicago Press, vol. 58(1), pages 37-74.
    • Handle: RePEc:ucp:jlawec:doi:10.1086/682908
    DOI: 10.1086/682908
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    4. Karpuz, Ahmet & Kim, Kirak & Ozkan, Neslihan, 2020. "Employment protection laws and corporate cash holdings," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 111(C).
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    6. Amirhossein Fard & Ibrahim Siraj & Bin Wang, 2022. "Don't interfere with my rights! Employee rights violation and the cost of bank loans," Financial Markets, Institutions & Instruments, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 31(5), pages 239-258, December.
    7. Karpuz, Ahmet & Luo, Di & Xiao, Rongbing & Zhao, Huainan, 2023. "The effect of labour protection laws on the relationship between leverage and wages," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 148(C).
    8. Liu, Haiming & Chiang, Yao-Min, 2024. "Employment protection and environmental corporate social responsibility: Evidence from China," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 92(C).
    9. Diti Goswami & Sourabh Bikas Paul, 2020. "Labor Reforms in Rajasthan: A boon or a bane?," Papers 2012.01016, arXiv.org.
    10. Ang, James B. & Fredriksson, Per G., 2018. "Culture, legal heritage and the regulation of labor," Journal of Comparative Economics, Elsevier, vol. 46(2), pages 616-633.
    11. Heywood, John S. & O'Mahony, Mary & Siebert, W. Stanley & Rincon-Aznar, Ana, 2018. "The Impact of Employment Protection on the Industrial Wage Structure," IZA Discussion Papers 11788, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    12. Fard, Amirhossein & Javadi, Siamak & Kim, Incheol, 2020. "Environmental regulation and the cost of bank loans: International evidence," Journal of Financial Stability, Elsevier, vol. 51(C).
    13. Li, Tongxia & Ang, Tze Chuan ‘Chewie’ & Lu, Chun, 2023. "Employment protection and the provision of trade credit," Journal of Banking & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 155(C).
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    16. Guo, Jing & Tang, Qi & Jin, Guangzhu, 2021. "Labor protection and the efficiency of human capital investment," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 69(C), pages 195-207.

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