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Employment and Deadweight Loss Effects of Observed Non-Wage Labor Costs

Author

Listed:
  • Aguilar, Giovanna

    (Universidad Católica del Perú)

  • Rendon, Silvio

    (Inter-American Development Bank)

Abstract

To assess the employment effects of labor costs it is crucial to have reliable estimates of the labor cost elasticity of labor demand. Using a matched firm-worker dataset, we estimate a long run unconditional labor demand function, exploiting information on workers to correct for endogeneity in the determination of wages. We evaluate the employment and deadweight loss effects of observed employers’ contributions imposed by labor laws (health insurance, training, and taxes) as well as of observed workers’ deductions (social security, and income tax). We find that non-wage labor costs reduce employment by 17% for white-collars and by 53% for blue-collars, with associated deadweight losses of 10% and 35% of total contributions, respectively. Since most firms undercomply with mandated employers’ and workers contributions, we find that full compliance would imply employment losses of 4% for white-collars and 12% for blue-collars, with respective associated deadweight losses of 2% and 6%.

Suggested Citation

  • Aguilar, Giovanna & Rendon, Silvio, 2007. "Employment and Deadweight Loss Effects of Observed Non-Wage Labor Costs," IZA Discussion Papers 2856, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp2856
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    Cited by:

    1. Aguilar, Giovanna & Rendon, Si­lvio, 2008. "Matching bias in labor demand estimation," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 100(2), pages 297-299, August.
    2. Lichter, Andreas & Peichl, Andreas & Siegloch, Sebastian, 2015. "The own-wage elasticity of labor demand: A meta-regression analysis," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 80(C), pages 94-119.
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    employment; job creation; deadweight loss; labor costs; labor law;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J23 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Labor Demand
    • J32 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Nonwage Labor Costs and Benefits; Retirement Plans; Private Pensions

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