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Non-Work at Work, Unemployment and Labor Productivity

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  • Burda, Michael
  • Hamermesh, Daniel S.
  • Genadek, Katie R.

Abstract

We use the American Time Use Survey (ATUS) 2003-2012 to estimate time spent in non-work on the job. Non-work is substantial and varies positively with local unemployment. Time spent in non-work conditional on any positive amount rises, while the fraction of workers reporting positive values declines with unemployment. Both effects are economically important, and are consistent with a model in which heterogeneous workers are paid efficiency wages. That model correctly predicts the relationship between the incidence of non-work and unemployment benefits in state data linked to the ATUS, and is consistent with estimated occupational differences in non-work incidence and intensity, as well as the cyclical behavior of aggregate labor productivity.

Suggested Citation

  • Burda, Michael & Hamermesh, Daniel S. & Genadek, Katie R., 2017. "Non-Work at Work, Unemployment and Labor Productivity," CEPR Discussion Papers 12087, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    • Handle: RePEc:cpr:ceprdp:12087
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    1. Non-Work at Work, Unemployment and Labor Productivity
      by maximorossi in NEP-LTV blog on 2017-06-20 19:37:02

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    Cited by:

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    2. Stephen B. DeLoach & Mark Kurt, 2018. "On-the-Job Search, Mismatch and Worker Heterogeneity," Journal of Labor Research, Springer, vol. 39(2), pages 219-233, June.
    3. Lewis, Vivien & Villa, Stefania & Wolters, Maik H., 2019. "Labor productivity, effort and the euro area business cycle," Discussion Papers 44/2019, Deutsche Bundesbank.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Time use; Non-work; Efficiency wages; Labor productivity;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J22 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Time Allocation and Labor Supply
    • E24 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Employment; Unemployment; Wages; Intergenerational Income Distribution; Aggregate Human Capital; Aggregate Labor Productivity

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