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Search, self-insurance and job-security provisions

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  • Fernando Alvarez
  • Marcelo Veracierto

Abstract

We construct a general equilibrium model to evaluate the quantitative effects of severance payments in the presence of contracting and reallocational frictions. Key elements of the model are: 1) establishment level dynamics, 2) imperfect insurance markets, and 3) variable search decisions. Contrary to previous studies that analyzed severance payments in frictionless environments, we find that severance payments reduce unemployment, produce negative insurance effects and improve levels.

Suggested Citation

  • Fernando Alvarez & Marcelo Veracierto, 1998. "Search, self-insurance and job-security provisions," Working Paper Series WP-98-2, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.
    • Handle: RePEc:fip:fedhwp:wp-98-2
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    Cited by:

    1. Thomas K. Bauer & Stefan Bender & Holger Bonin, 2007. "Dismissal Protection and Worker Flows in Small Establishments," Economica, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 74(296), pages 804-821, November.
    2. World Bank, 2001. "Poverty and Income Distribution in a High Growth Economy : The Case of Chile 1987-98, Volume 2. Background Papers," World Bank Publications - Reports 15469, The World Bank Group.
    3. You, Jing & Wang, Shaoyang, 2018. "Unemployment duration and job-match quality in urban China: The dynamic impact of 2008 Labor Contract Law," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 71(C), pages 220-233.
    4. Lars Ljungqvist, 2002. "How Do Lay--off Costs Affect Employment?," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 112(482), pages 829-853, October.
    5. Mikhail Golosov & Aleh Tsyvinski, 2007. "Optimal Taxation with Endogenous Insurance Markets," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 122(2), pages 487-534.
    6. Marloes de Graaf-Zijl, 2005. "The Attractiveness of Temporary Employment to Reduce Adjustment Costs," Tinbergen Institute Discussion Papers 05-121/3, Tinbergen Institute.
    7. Marcelo Veracierto, 2000. "What are the short-run effects of increasing labor market flexibility?," Working Paper Series WP-00-29, Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago.
    8. Fernando Alvarez & Marcelo Veracierto, 2000. "Labor-Market Policies in an Equilibrium Search Model," NBER Chapters, in: NBER Macroeconomics Annual 1999, Volume 14, pages 265-316, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    9. Facundo Piguillem & Hernan Ruffo & Nicholas Trachter, 2023. "Unemployment Insurance when the Wealth Distribution Matters," Working Paper 23-08, Federal Reserve Bank of Richmond.
    10. Di Tella, Rafael & MacCulloch, Robert, 2005. "The consequences of labor market flexibility: Panel evidence based on survey data," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 49(5), pages 1225-1259, July.
    11. Veracierto, Marcelo, 2001. "Employment Flows, Capital Mobility, and Policy Analysis," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 42(3), pages 571-595, August.
    12. Gomes, Joao & Greenwood, Jeremy & Rebelo, Sergio, 2001. "Equilibrium unemployment," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 48(1), pages 109-152, August.
    13. Egbert Jongen & Sabine Visser, 2010. "Exploring the ambiguous impact of employment protection on employment and productivity," CPB Discussion Paper 148, CPB Netherlands Bureau for Economic Policy Analysis.
    14. Glismann, Hans H. & Schrader, Klaus, 2001. "Alternative Systeme der Arbeitslosenversicherung: das Beispiel der Vereinigten Staaten und des Vereinigten Königreichs," Kiel Working Papers 1032, Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel).
    15. Gebauer, Markus, 2019. "Permanent and temporary workers in a matching framework," Research in Economics, Elsevier, vol. 73(2), pages 138-148.
    16. Alvarez, Fernando & Veracierto, Marcelo, 2001. "Severance payments in an economy with frictions," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 47(3), pages 477-498, June.
    17. Dennis Wesselbaum, 2020. "How Large Are Firing Costs? A Cross-Country Study," Applied Economics Quarterly (formerly: Konjunkturpolitik), Duncker & Humblot GmbH, Berlin, vol. 66(4), pages 319-328.
    18. Giuseppe Bertola, 2004. "A Pure Theory of Job Security and Labour Income Risk," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 71(1), pages 43-61.
    19. Castro-Fernandez, Rodriguo & Wodon, Quentin, 2002. "Protecting the Unemployed in Chile: From State Assistance to Individual Insurance?," MPRA Paper 15416, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    20. Olivier Blanchard & Jean Tirole, 2004. "The Optimal Design of Unemployment Insurance and Employment Protection. A First Pass," NBER Working Papers 10443, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    21. Poilly, Céline & Wesselbaum, Dennis, 2014. "Evaluating labor market reforms: A normative analysis," Journal of Macroeconomics, Elsevier, vol. 39(PA), pages 156-170.

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    Keywords

    Job security; Unemployment;

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