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The Role of Caseworkers in Unemployment Insurance: Evidence from Unplanned Absences

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  • Amelie Schiprowski

Abstract

Caseworkers are the main human resources used to provide social services. This paper asks if, and how much, caseworkers matter for the outcomes of unemployed individuals. Using large-scale administrative data, I exploit exogenous variation in unplanned absences among Swiss UI caseworkers. I find that individuals who lose a meeting with their caseworker stay unemployed 5% longer. Results show large heterogeneity in the personal impact of caseworkers: the effect of a foregone meeting is zero for caseworkers in the lower half of the productivity distribution, while it amounts to more than twice the average effect for caseworkers in the upper half.

Suggested Citation

  • Amelie Schiprowski, 2020. "The Role of Caseworkers in Unemployment Insurance: Evidence from Unplanned Absences," CESifo Working Paper Series 8206, CESifo.
    • Handle: RePEc:ces:ceswps:_8206
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    3. Carlos Carrillo-Tudela & Leo Kaas & Benjamin Lochner, 2023. "Matching through Search Channels," CESifo Working Paper Series 10761, CESifo.
    4. Christian Merkl & Timo Sauerbier, 2024. "Public Employment Agency Reform, Matching Efficiency, and German Unemployment," IMF Economic Review, Palgrave Macmillan;International Monetary Fund, vol. 72(1), pages 393-440, March.
    5. Bhuller, Manudeep & Sigstad, Henrik, 2024. "2SLS with multiple treatments," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 242(1).
    6. repec:iab:iabjlr:v:54:i:1:p:art.11 is not listed on IDEAS
    7. Vikström, Johan & Söderström, Martin & Cederlöf, Jonas, 2021. "What makes a good caseworker?," Working Paper Series 2021:9, IFAU - Institute for Evaluation of Labour Market and Education Policy.
    8. Cairo, Sofie & Mahlstedt, Robert, 2021. "Transparency of the Welfare System and Labor Market Outcomes of Unemployed Workers," IZA Discussion Papers 14940, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    9. Dohmen, Thomas & van Landeghem, Bert, 2019. "Numeracy and Unemployment Duration," IZA Discussion Papers 12531, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    10. Vehkasalo, Ville, 2020. "Effects of face-to-face counselling on unemployment rate and duration: evidence from a Public Employment Service reform," Journal for Labour Market Research, Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), Nürnberg [Institute for Employment Research, Nuremberg, Germany], vol. 54(1), pages 1-11.
    11. Altmann, Steffen & Glenny, Anita Marie & Mahlstedt, Robert & Sebald, Alexander, 2022. "The Direct and Indirect Effects of Online Job Search Advice," IZA Discussion Papers 15830, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    12. Ville Vehkasalo, 2020. "Effects of face-to-face counselling on unemployment rate and duration: evidence from a Public Employment Service reform," Journal for Labour Market Research, Springer;Institute for Employment Research/ Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), vol. 54(1), pages 1-14, December.
    13. Lundin, Martin & Häggblom, Josefin, 2022. "Deservingness and street-level decision-making. Two survey experiments on the use of discretion in the public sector," Working Paper Series 2022:17, IFAU - Institute for Evaluation of Labour Market and Education Policy.
    14. Vehkasalo, Ville, 2020. "Effects of face'to'face counselling on unemployment rate and duration: evidence from a Public Employment Service reform," Journal for Labour Market Research, Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), Nürnberg [Institute for Employment Research, Nuremberg, Germany], vol. 54(1), pages .11(1-14).

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    unemployment insurance; caseworkers; job search;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J64 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Unemployment: Models, Duration, Incidence, and Job Search
    • J65 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Unemployment Insurance; Severance Pay; Plant Closings
    • J68 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Public Policy

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