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How important are caseworkers – and why? New evidence from Swedish employment offices

Author

Listed:
  • Lagerström, Jonas

    (Åbo Akademi University)

Abstract

Caseworkers at the Swedish Public Employment Office (PES) have an important role in helping the unemployed to find a job. In this study, I estimate the effect of caseworkers on jobseekers' future employment rates, earnings, and wages. To take into account that the average characteristics of the unemployed can vary between caseworkers, I only use information from local employment offices that randomly allocate caseworkers to clients. The results indicate that caseworkers have an effect on the jobseekers' future employment and earnings. For example, the probability of being employed within a year is about 13 percent higher if the caseworker is one standard deviation higher in the distribution of caseworkers. Distinctive of a successful caseworker is that they assist in job search rather than assigning their jobseekers to various training programs.

Suggested Citation

  • Lagerström, Jonas, 2011. "How important are caseworkers – and why? New evidence from Swedish employment offices," Working Paper Series 2011:10, IFAU - Institute for Evaluation of Labour Market and Education Policy.
    • Handle: RePEc:hhs:ifauwp:2011_010
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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    5. Carling, Kenneth & Richardson, Katarina, 2004. "The relative efficiency of labor market programs: Swedish experience from the 1990s," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 11(3), pages 335-354, June.
    6. Jonah E. Rockoff, 2004. "The Impact of Individual Teachers on Student Achievement: Evidence from Panel Data," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 94(2), pages 247-252, May.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Caseworker; program evaluation; active labour market policy;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J68 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Public Policy

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