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Unemployment insurance and training in an equilibrium matching model with heterogeneous agents

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  • Bruno, VAN DER LINDEN

    (UNIVERSITE CATHOLIQUE DE LOUVAIN, Institut de Recherches Economiques et Sociales (IRES))

Abstract

This paper develops a joint evaluation of vocational training and unemployment insurance. This allows to analyze how these schemes complment each other from the viewpoints of labor market indicators and of welfare. For this purpose, a general equilibrium matching model is built where workers are heterogeneous and risk averse. Heterogeneity allows to look at the distribution of the effects. Job search effort and wages are endogenous in order to deal with the induced effects of these schemes. The net effect of these training programs appears to be gloomy. However, their impact on employment can be deeply affected by the design of passive policies. A declining time profile of benefit payments dominates a scheme with a constant replacement ratio. However, the optimal expected length of payment of ‘high’ benefits can vary a lot in the population. A reform that would relate this expected duration to search effort does not appear to produce substantial effects on any of the evaluation crieria. Performance indicators of the labor market and welfare criteria often vary in opposite directions after a reform. This questions the widespread focus on labor market indicators to guide the design of institutional reforms.

Suggested Citation

  • Bruno, VAN DER LINDEN, 2003. "Unemployment insurance and training in an equilibrium matching model with heterogeneous agents," LIDAM Discussion Papers IRES 2003001, Université catholique de Louvain, Institut de Recherches Economiques et Sociales (IRES).
    • Handle: RePEc:ctl:louvir:2003001
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    Cited by:

    1. Bruno, VAN DER LINDEN, 2005. "Equilibrium Evaluation of Active Labor Market Programmes Enhancing Matching Effectiveness," Discussion Papers (ECON - Département des Sciences Economiques) 2005007, Université catholique de Louvain, Département des Sciences Economiques.
    2. Gabriele Cardullo & Bruno Van der Linden, 2007. "Employment Subsidies and Substitutable Skills: An Equilibrium Matching Approach," Applied Economics Quarterly (formerly: Konjunkturpolitik), Duncker & Humblot, Berlin, vol. 53(4), pages 375-404.
    3. Conny Wunsch, 2013. "Optimal Use of Labor Market Policies: The Role of Job Search Assistance," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 95(3), pages 1030-1045, July.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    training; unemployment insurance; sanctions; policy complementaries; wage bargaining; equilibrium unemployment; equilibrium search;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • 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
    • 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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