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Belot, Michèle, Philipp Kircher & Paul Muller (2026): Do the Long-Term Unemployed Benefit from Automated Occupational Advice during Online Job Search? In: The Economic Journal, Jg. 136, H. 673, S. 184-206. DOI:10.1093/ej/ueaf041

Abstract

"In a randomized field experiment, we provide suggestions about suitable occupations to long-term unemployed job seekers. The suggestions are automatically generated, integrated in an online job search platform, and fed into actual search queries. Effects on ‘reaching a cumulative earnings threshold’ and ‘finding a stable job’ are positive, large, and are more pronounced for those who are longer unemployed. Treated individuals include more occupations in their search and find more jobs in recommended occupations." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Berg, Jonathan, Lieke Oldenhof, Kim Putters & Jeroen van Wijngaarden (2026): Which client is worthy of using discretion? Analysing storytelling practices of Dutch street-level bureaucrats in inter-departmental settings. In: Journal of Social Policy, Jg. 55, H. 1, S. 284-303. DOI:10.1017/s0047279424000199

Abstract

"Multiple welfare states are re-emphasising the need for street-level bureaucrats’ (SLBs) discretion to stimulate responsive service provision. However, little is known about how SLBs with diverse backgrounds in inter-departmental settings deliberate what it means to use discretion well when different rules, eligibility criteria, and interpretations apply to a client. We address this gap by investigating the stories that participants of a Dutch policy experiment told each other to justify which clients should be granted a flexible interpretation of entitlement categories amid scarcity. We found that ‘caretakers’ used the ‘victim of circumstances’ and ‘good citizen’ plot-type to convince ‘service providers’ that the use of discretion was the right thing to do, whereas the latter used the ‘not needy enough’ or ‘the irresponsible citizen’ plot-type for contestation. Our analysis shows that storytelling helped SLBs to make sense of and bring cohesion to complex situations. Moreover, the analysis shows how stories can have a strong emotional appeal and create a sense of urgency to act collectively, yet can also create divisions and opposition among SLBs. As such, storytelling influences how SLBs think and feel about the client, themselves, and each other, and influences how discretion is used at the front-line of public policy." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Dromundo, Sofia & Olga Rastrigina (2026): A qualitative assessment framework for active labour market policies. (OECD social, employment and migration working papers 330), Paris, 52 S. DOI:10.1787/6b59fef6-en

Abstract

"Improving the design and delivery of active labour market policies (ALMPs) requires not only assessing whether they work, but also understanding how and why they do. This paper presents a methodological framework for the qualitative assessment of ALMPs, aimed at supporting continuous improvement and mutual learning among the different stakeholders in the ALMP ecosystem. The framework combines self-assessment by implementing institutions with external assessment by independent experts. It is structured around eight core criteria that capture the full cycle of a well-functioning ALMP. Each criterion is anchored in a benchmark describing what effective practice looks like, providing a point of reference to systematically assess programme strengths and identify areas for improvement. The framework offers a practical tool to foster critical reflection, guide improvements, and support structured policy dialogue both nationally and across countries." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

Zitatform

Fuchs, Philipp, Stefan Feldens, Sabine Wellmer & Claudia Globisch (2026): Interne ganzheitliche Integrationsberatung (INGA): Organisation und Praxis der Beratung von arbeitsmarktfernen Arbeitslosen im SGB III. (IAB-Forschungsbericht 03/2026), Nürnberg, 93 S. DOI:10.48720/IAB.FB.2603

Abstract

"Die Anstrengungen der Arbeitsvermittlung konzentrierten sich im SGB III lange Zeit vor allem auf Personen, die ohnehin vergleichsweise gute Chancen auf eine zügige Re-Integration in den Arbeitsmarkt hatten. Umgekehrt wurden Personen, die bei der Arbeitssuche mit größeren Hemmnissen konfrontiert sind, vielfach nicht so intensiv gefördert, wie es möglich und sinnvoll gewesen wäre. Die Strategie, sich eher auf die leichteren statt auf die schwierigeren Fälle zu konzentrieren, wird auch als Creaming bezeichnet. Mit der „Internen ganzheitlichen Integrationsberatung“ (INGA) wurde im SGB III im Jahr 2013 ein bewusstes Gegengewicht zu dieser Entwicklung geschaffen. Mit einem deutlich niedrigeren Betreuungsschlüssel als in der regulären Vermittlung, flankiert durch weitere Unterstützungsangebote, werden verstärkt Personen mit komplexeren Problemlagen und höheren Integrationshürden in INGA betreut. Zudem absolvieren die INGA-Berater:innen eine zusätzliche Qualifizierung mit einem Fokus auf die Stärkung der hierfür erforderlichen Beratungskompetenzen und -methoden. Über zehn Jahre nach Etablierung des Beratungsangebots wurde die Beratungspraxis in INGA nun erstmals im Rahmen des rechtskreisübergreifenden Forschungsprojekts „Beratung arbeitsmarktferner Arbeitsloser“ (BafAlo) näher untersucht. Hierfür wurden neben explorativen Interviews und Gruppendiskussionen qualitative Erhebungen unter Beratungskräften, Beratenen sowie Teamleitungen in drei Arbeitsagenturen durchgeführt. Dies umfasste auch die Beobachtung von Beratungsgesprächen und Gruppenveranstaltungen. Auf dieser empirischen Grundlage wird zum einen die organisatorische Einbettung und Umsetzung der Beratung im Rahmen von INGA in den Blick genommen. Dabei lässt sich beobachten, dass INGA zwar als Angebot in den Arbeitsagenturen etabliert ist, aber aufgrund des deutlich niedrigeren Betreuungsschlüssels von Leitungsseite bisweilen als „Kapazitätsreserve“ interpretiert wird. Dies kann zur Folge haben, dass zusätzliche Aufgaben an die INGA-Teams delegiert werden. Zudem besteht ein Spannungsverhältnis zur regulären Arbeitsvermittlung, das sowohl mit dem günstigeren Betreuungsschlüssel in INGA als auch dem Prozess der Zuweisung von Beratungsfällen durch die reguläre Arbeitsvermittlung zu INGA zusammenhängt. Die Auslastung der INGA-Fachkräfte sowie die Zusammensetzung des von ihnen beratenen Personenkreises werden wesentlich durch die zumindest latent spannungsbehaftete Zuweisung von INGA-Kund:innen durch die reguläre Arbeitsvermittlung determiniert. Dies findet seinen Niederschlag vor allem im Controlling der Beratungsarbeit – und hier vor allem in der Auslastung der Beratungskräfte sowie der erzielten Integrationsquote. In diesem Kontext sind zuvorderst die INGA-Teamleitungen gefragt, denen die Aufgabe zufällt, zwischen den verschiedenen Teams und deren Leitungen zu vermitteln und die Position des INGA-Teams innerhalb der Agentur gegenüber der oberen Leitungsebene insgesamt zu vertreten. Zum anderen werden mit Blick auf die eigentliche Beratungspraxis vier Varianten von Arbeits-marktferne unter den Beratenen in INGA sowie unterschiedliche Beratungsansätze der Beratungskräfte herausgearbeitet. Die vier identifizierten Kundengruppen unterscheiden sich vor allem mit Blick auf ihre Arbeitsmarktferne. Unter den Beratenen finden sich zunächst solche, bei denen eine lange Phase beruflicher Stabilität und Spezialisierung durch eine abrupte Arbeitslosigkeit abgelöst wird, während in einer zweiten Konstellation die Erwerbsverläufe der Beratenen seit vielen Jahren durch berufliche Instabilität und Wechselhaftigkeit geprägt und die Betroffenen zum wiederholten Male arbeitslos sind. Die dritte Konstellation bezieht sich auf jüngere Beratene, die keine Ausbildung haben und im Anschluss an Gelegenheitsjobs sowie ungelernte Tätigkeiten nicht selten zum wiederholten Male arbeitslos sind. Eine vierte Konstellation umfasst ebenfalls eher jüngere Personen, die nach einer Familienphase mit erheblichen Problemen beim Wiedereinstieg in den Arbeitsmarkt konfrontiert sind. Unabhängig von der jeweiligen erwerbsbiografischen Konstellation sind die INGA-Beratenen oftmals durch akute Lebenskrisen, familiäre Probleme oder psychische Erkrankungen belastet. Die fallspezifische Komplexität ist daher häufig hoch. Das Beratungsverständnis der INGA-Fachkräfte spiegelt die konzeptionellen Ansprüche von INGA stark wider. Ausnahmslos gibt es bei den Fachkräften eine ausgeprägte Identifikation mit der Ganzheitlichkeit, Individualität und Intensität der Beratungsarbeit. Konkret sehen die Fachkräfte den entscheidenden Vorteil von INGA im niedrigeren Betreuungsschlüssel und den größeren zeitlichen Ressourcen, in erweiterten Handlungs- und Ermessensspielräumen, einer ausgeprägteren Zusammenarbeit mit anderen Stellen und Netzwerken, einer ergebnisoffenen Fallbearbeitung sowie einer auf den Einzelfall und die Nachhaltigkeit der Vermittlung ausgerichteten Zielperspektive. Gleichzeitig zeigt sich, dass sich die einzelnen Beratungskräfte in der Ausgestaltung der Beratung voneinander unterscheiden, insbesondere mit Blick auf einen mehr oder weniger direktiven Ansatz (der den Kund:innen eher Pläne und Vorgehensweisen vorgibt als diesen allzu große Spielräume einräumt) sowie den Grad der Integrationsorientierung und Aktivierung. Dabei variiert die konkrete Ausgestaltung auch maßgeblich in Abhängigkeit von den Beratenen, ihrer Situation und ihren Bedarfen. Insgesamt stellt INGA in der Konzeption und Praxis ein wichtiges Angebot innerhalb des SGB III dar. Gerade in einer Zeit steigender Arbeitslosigkeit, eines dynamischen Strukturwandels und eines ausgeprägten Mismatches am Arbeitsmarkt ist eine nennenswerte Anzahl von Personen auf Leistungen nach dem SGB III angewiesen, die für eine Integration in Beschäftigung einer intensiveren Unterstützung bedürfen, als es die reguläre Arbeitsvermittlung unter den aktuellen Bedingungen leisten kann. Eine Beratung, die größere zeitliche Ressourcen für den Einzelfall aufwenden kann und über ein stärkeres methodisches Fundament verfügt, ist grundsätzlich geeignet, eine solche Unterstützung zu leisten und zur Vermeidung von Langzeitarbeitslosigkeit beizutragen. Allerdings sollte die fachliche Unterstützung und Begleitung der Beratungskräfte weiterentwickelt werden, sowohl durch ihre Vorgesetzten (Teamleitungen) als auch durch Supervisionsangebote. Die Fachaufsicht fällt bisweilen - auch aufgrund struktureller Doppelzuständigkeiten der Teamleitungen (z.B. gleichzeitige Verantwortlichkeit für INGA und den Arbeitgeberservice) - zu formal aus und erweist sich nicht immer als die beratungsbezogene Anleitung, die sie sein sollte. In ähnlicher Weise ist das Angebot der Supervision als systematische Reflexion einer anspruchsvollen Beratungsarbeit in der Breite eher unzureichend verankert. Diese Befunde sprechen für eine weitere Stärkung der Teamleitungen hinsichtlich der fachlichen Seite der Beratung sowie für die Bereitstellung von zusätzlichen Ressourcen, um Supervision bei Bedarf flächendeckend anbieten zu können. Auf der organisatorisch-institutionellen Ebene ist zudem das Problem ungelöst, wie mit äußerst arbeitsmarktfernen Arbeitslosen umzugehen ist, wenn in INGA zugleich teils ambitionierte Integrationsziele zu erfüllen sind." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)

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Gaillard, Alexandre & Sumudu Kankanamge (2026): From Unemployment to Self-Employment: An Evaluation of Self-Employment Assistance Programs. In: Journal of labor economics, Jg. 44, H. 1, S. 309-349. DOI:10.1086/732765

Abstract

"This paper evaluates Self-Employment Assistance (SEA) programs, which are Government initiatives extending the unemployment insurance (UI) system to support unemployment to self-employment transitions. Using a general equilibrium model of the US labor market,we show that these programs have important labor market mobility effects and increase theself-employment rate. They also significantly impact the composition and performance out-comes of self-employment: while lump-sum subsidies select low-skilled individuals, SEAprograms contingent on previously employed earnings select skilled and wealthier individuals. At the aggregate level, the latter programs mainly reallocate individuals from employ-ment to self-employment, leaving the unemployment rate largely unaffected." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Homrighausen, Pia & Michael Oberfichtner (2026): Do caseworker meetings prevent unemployment? Evidence from a field experiment. In: European Economic Review, Jg. 183, 2025-11-21. DOI:10.1016/j.euroecorev.2025.105215

Abstract

"Caseworker meetings have been shown to accelerate exit from unemployment. We investigate whether they are also effective before job loss. In a natural field experiment in Germany, where workers must register with the employment agency up to three months before becoming unemployed, we offer caseworker meetings to jobseekers while they are still employed. Our results indicate that offering preventive meetings does not improve jobseekers’ labour market outcomes, despite bringing forward the first meeting. The intervention increases the total number of meetings, thereby consuming scarce caseworker resources, but does not influence jobseekers’ search behaviour - likely explaining its lack of effectiveness." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © 2025 The Authors. Published by Elsevier) ((en))

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Mabli, James, Leah Shiferaw, Gretchen Rowe, Peter Schochet & Kelley Monzella (2026): An Experimental Evaluation of the Impacts of SNAP Employment and Training Pilots on Service Receipt, Labor Market Outcomes, and SNAP Participation. In: Applied economic perspectives and policy, Jg. 48, H. 1, S. 106-122. DOI:10.1002/aepp.70011

Abstract

"This article presents findings from a large, longitudinal randomized evaluation of the effectiveness of 10 SNAP Employment and Training (E&T) pilots that offered new and innovative strategies to increase the earnings and employment of SNAP participants. All the pilots increased the take-up of employment and training-related activities and nearly all increased receipt of case management and support services. The pilots increased annual earnings in three states by $800 to $2,000 and increased the rate of employment by 4 to 6percentage points. Findings can help policymakers identify new promising strategies for expanding opportunities and reducing barriers to work." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Malekinezhad, Fahimeh & Paul Courtney (2026): Framing the shift to supported employment: Exploring the impacts of a person-centred programme evaluation approach through peer led participatory research. In: Evaluation and program planning, Jg. 114. DOI:10.1016/j.evalprogplan.2025.102723

Abstract

"Employment support programs play a crucial role in assisting the unemployed in overcoming challenges to achieve their employment goals. The experiences of participants with multiple challenges provide insights into programme effectiveness in achieving personalised goals of employability, social development, and inclusion. This study contributes to the evaluation of supported employment by presenting a peer-derived framework grounded in participants lived experiences. Interviews with twelve participants revealed themes around employment barriers, participation opportunities, one-to-one support, achievements, and recommendations. Findings highlight the value of flexible, personalised pathways that not only enhance employability but also build confidence, motivation and support social inclusion. The developed framework including personalised support, meaningful activities, and self-perceived progress offers guidance for designing inclusive employment programmes and their evaluation. A key recommendation is the need for ongoing support to sustain employment among disadvantaged individuals managing social, mental, and physical health challenges. From an evaluation perspective, the framework demonstrates how participant-informed mechanisms—such as confidence and empowerment—drive employability and social skills, consistent with the Context–Mechanism–Outcome logic of realist evaluation. By situating peer-led evaluation within realist, empowerment, and utilisation-focused traditions, this study refines programme evaluation and strengthens its practical relevance. It shows how outcome-focused fidelity models, which capture structural quality, can be complemented by peer-led approaches capturing experiential quality. Together, these perspectives provide a holistic and transferable evaluation model that speaks to both programme design and lived experience. Beyond the local context, lessons learned highlight the value of inclusive, participatory evaluation methods in generating credible, stakeholder-driven insights and advancing more effective employment support practices globally." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, Crown Copyright © 2025 Published by Elsevier Ltd.) ((en))

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Nagtegaal, Rosanna, Machiel van der Heijden, Noortje de Boer & Lars Tummers (2026): Breaking Down Administrative Burdens: A User-Centered Approach to Increase Interest in Active Labor Market Programs by Women. In: Journal of Public Administration Research and Theory. DOI:10.1093/jopart/muaf039

Abstract

"This study investigates whether reducing administrative burdens can increase interest in active labor market programs among job-seeking women. Employing a user-centered approach, the research is divided into two phases. In phase 1, we conducted interviews with women and a focus group with service providers to identify relevant barriers for take-up. The qualitative data showed that learning costs were the most prominent barrier, which could be further differentiated into three specific types: learning about program existence, the specific services offered, and the eligibility criteria. In phase 2, we test whether reducing these three components of learning costs increases program interest. We conduct an online quasi-experimental platform study (N = 75,451), in collaboration with a service provider, in which we adapt advertisements to inform citizens about (a) the specific services offered and (b) the eligibility criteria. A logistic regression shows that the interventions (a and b) attract more people to active labor market programs. Although women are overall more likely to click on the ads, we do not find a differential treatment effect by gender. The findings contribute to the literature by highlighting the importance of distinguishing among different types of learning costs in administrative burden interventions. Moreover, the article shows how a user-centered design can be utilized to design meaningful interventions." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Aparicio Fenoll, Ainoa & Roberto Quaranta (2025): The uneven effects of conditional cash transfers on women and men. In: Labour Economics, Jg. 94. DOI:10.1016/j.labeco.2025.102695

Abstract

"We compare the effects of training-conditional and unconditional cash transfer programs on the labor market outcomes of women and men. We use the experiment in Del Boca et al. (2021) where low-income households are randomly assigned to one of three groups: cash transfer conditional on a family-specific bundle of training programs, unconditional cash transfer with no access to those training programs, and no treatment. We exploit Social Security data, including all registered labor contracts in Italy. We find that cash transfers conditional on training have a positive and sizeable effect on males’ labor income and that this effect stays in place for at least two years after the program. Unconditional cash transfers did not affect men. In contrast, female employment is positively affected by both cash transfers regardless of access to the training, but the effect is smaller if they are conditional." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © 2025 Elsevier B.V. All rights are reserved, including those for text and data mining, AI training, and similar technologies.) ((en))

Abstract

"Publication metadata The EU labor market policy (LMP) database collects information about government actions to help people with a disadvantage in the labor market, primarily by facilitating and supporting transitions from unemployment or inactivity into employment. This can take the form of financial support – such as unemployment benefits – or practical support ranging from basic guidance services to the provision of training, work experience and other actions aimed at improving a persons’ employability. It also includes incentives for employers to take on people from defined target groups. In the LMP database these actions are referred to as interventions. The LMP data are collected annually by a network of national delegates from administrative sources in each country on the basis of a comprehensive methodology1 that provides detailed guidelines on which interventions to cover; how to classify interventions by type of action; how to measure the expenditure associated with each intervention; and how to measure the number of participants. The LMP data serve to inform analysts and policy makers about the labor market policies offered in the EU Member States and Norway and provide an evidence base for further development of policy. LMP data are used in routine monitoring and benchmarking frameworks adopted by the European Commission to identify key trends and challenges across the EU Member States and in analysis supporting a range of European policy initiatives. This note presents an analysis of the latest available LMP statistics. Readers are recommended to refer to information on the characteristics of LMP statistics provided in Annex 1 to aid understanding of the data presented." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Aprea, Massimo, Michele Raitano & Francesca Subioli (2025): Actual generosity of unemployment benefits in EU countries. A data-driven approach. (Social situation monitor), Brussels, 51 S. DOI:10.2767/8736150

Abstract

"The aim of the present research note is to propose a data-driven approach to evaluate the coverage and the adequacy of unemployment benefit schemes in EU countries. The main idea is to directly measure, using both comparable cross-national surveys such as the EU-SILC (European Union Statistics on Income and Living Conditions) and country-specific administrative or administrative-survey linked sources, the extent to which unemployment benefits step in in cases of job losses and compensate for labour earnings drops." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Ardito, Chiara, Fabio Berton, Lia Pacelli & Marina Zanatta (2025): The Effect of the End of Hiring Incentives on Job and Employment Security. (IZA discussion paper / Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit 18024), Bonn, 62 S.

Abstract

"We analyze the long-term impact of hiring subsidies on both job and employment security. The subsidy that we examine was introduced in Italy through the 2015 Budget Law, with the goal of promoting open-ended contracts. We employ a non-linear difference-in-differences (NL-DiD) approach within a duration framework, using high-frequency, population-wide linked employer-employee administrative data from a large Italian region. Causal results on job security indicate that the subsidy's protective effect is short-lived. Excess separations from subsidized jobs peak in the exact same month in which the monetary incentive expires. No long-term protective effect of the subsidy is observed regarding employment security. These results hold across a wide range of worker and firm characteristics, showing surprisingly little heterogeneity. One notable exception concerns firm size. Furthermore, the expiration of subsidies disproportionately affects workers with low human capital. Our findings suggest that hiring subsidies are not effective in promoting either job or employment security for beneficiaries and that this raises questions about the efficacy of this common and costly policy, particularly when offered unconditionally." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Aubry, Agnès (2025): Support or Exploitation? Workfare Implementation and Migrants’ Resistance within the Swiss Reception System. In: Work, Employment and Society, Jg. 39, H. 6, S. 1394-1414. DOI:10.1177/09500170251344717

Abstract

"Drawing on ethnographic research, this article explores the daily implementation and lived experiences of workfare-inspired programs designed for migrants seeking protection, who are living in Swiss reception centres. It examines how they are compelled to perform a wide range of unpaid work in exchange for their support and how they negotiate that work. Using a situated intersectional approach, the article shows how workfare-inspired programmes become a tool for channeling the behaviors of racialized migrant men and underlines the everyday resistance practices and survival strategies migrant claimants use to face exploitation. This case study takes a critical stance towards mainstream accounts of migrant workfare that frame it as a pathway to integration and empowerment. It brings new empirical insights to critical welfare studies and contributes to research on contemporary social security reform by showing how migrant claimants routinely resist the implementation of workfare." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Bauermann, Tom (2025): How to fight unemployment during a recession? Insights from an agent-based model. In: Journal of economic interaction and coordination, S. 1-47. DOI:10.1007/s11403-025-00459-x

Abstract

"The low and (partly) negative economic growth rates in Germany since the outbreak of the energy crises and growing danger of deindustrialization sparked debates about measures to avoid growing numbers of unemployed, for example by changing the generosity of unemployment benefits (UB) or extending short-time work. This paper aims to contribute to the theoretical literature of policy responses to recessions by analyzing three prominent instruments: (a) a permanent reduction of unemployment benefits that is accompanied by increasing search efforts, (b) a fiscal stimulus package and (c) short-time work. To analyze these measures, researchers typically use DSGE models or search and matching models. In contrast, I develop an agent-based macroeconomic model (ABM). Thus, I can analyze the interplay between macro- and microeconomic effects of policies, as well as how interactions among agents shape economic outcomes. I find three main results: First, (a) has almost no effect on unemployment in the short run and negative effects in the long run. This is contrary to the canonical search and matching models, even though the simulations reveal the same "desired" effects, e.g., shorter unemployment spells in the short run. Second, in comparison with (a), policies (b) and (c) can dampen unemployment in the short run and bring employment back to the normal rate more rapidly. Third, in contrast to representative agent models, I can show that short-time work supports the economic recovery through demand stabilization and a distributive effect among heterogeneous firms. In particular, the distributive effect has not been shown in other papers so far." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Bedük, Selçuk, Anette Eva Fasang, Susan Harkness, Stefan B. Andrade, Zafer Buyukkececi, Satu Helske & Aleksi Karhula (2025): Insurance against risk? Cost and compensation of job loss in different welfare states. In: Socio-economic review, S. 1-23. DOI:10.1093/ser/mwaf066

Abstract

"This study investigates the cost of job loss to household incomes, and the extent to which initial earnings losses are compensated through the labor market, within the household, and by the social security programs. Using survey and administrative data from Denmark, Finland, Germany, and the UK (1990–2018),we estimate short- and long-term effects of job loss with a dynamic difference-in-differences model. Job loss reduces household income by 17 per cent in the UK while only 5 to 6 percent in other countries during the first year. These losses gradually diminish and disappear over the long run. Across all countries, market (i.e. re-employment) is the main source of compensation, while the role of household and state compensations varies in line with the national compensation strategies. State compensation is crucial in mitigating immediate income losses, while market compensation becomes even more important over time. Household compensation mainly substitutes for weaker market and state protections." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Berg, Gerard J. van den, Gesine Stephan & Arne Uhlendorff (2025): Do Early Active Labor Market Policies Improve Outcomes of Not-Yet-Unemployed Workers? Findings from a Randomized Field Experiment. (IZA discussion paper / Forschungsinstitut zur Zukunft der Arbeit 17612), Bonn, 42 S.

Abstract

"Inequality is a dynamic phenomenon, and the relative and absolute positions of individuals are subject to frequent shocks. It is important to know if preventive interventions mitigate adverse inequality effects of labor market shocks. We consider individuals up to three months before the envisaged termination of their employment and we study effects of pre-unemployment participation in active labor market programs (ALMP) on labor market outcomes using a randomized controlled trial (RCT). This complements the vast literature on ALMP for unemployed workers. Policies include signing an integration agreement (IA), preparing an action plan (AP) before the first meeting with a caseworker, and the combination of both. Results suggest that the IA - particularly when combined with the AP - increases the probability of employment around 4 months after registration as soon-to-be unemployed. This is driven by workers with a relatively high unemployment risk following registration. Thus, the policies contribute to reducing societal inequality." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Berg, Gerard J. van den, Barbara Hofmann, Gesine Stephan & Arne Uhlendorff (2025): Mandatory integration agreements for unemployed job seekers: a randomized controlled field experiment in Germany. In: International Economic Review, Jg. 66, H. 1, S. 79-105., 2024-05-21. DOI:10.1111/iere.12745

Abstract

"Integration agreements (IAs) are contracts between the employment agency and the unemployed, nudging the latter to comply with rules on search behavior. We designed and implemented a randomized controlled trial involving thousands of newly unemployed workers, randomizing at the individual level both the timing of the IA and whether it is announced in advance. Administrative records provide outcomes. Novel theoretical and methodological insights provide tools to detect anticipation and suggest estimation by individual baseline employability. The positive effect on entering employment is driven by individuals with adverse prospects. For them, early IA increase reemployment within a year from 53% to 61%." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku, © Wiley) ((en))

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Boca, Daniela Del, Luca Favero & Chiara Pronzato (2025): Mothers’ Work, Reconciliation Issues, and Fertility Desires: Evidence from the Evaluation of a Program to Support Mothers. (CEPR discussion paper / Centre for Economic Policy Research 21031), London, 38 S.

Abstract

"This paper examines the effects of “Equilibri” a program designed to support mothers of children under 18 in Italy’s Piedmont region. The program is specifically aimed to help women who have reduced or stopped working due to motherhood to achieve better work-life balance by improving both employment and work-family outcomes. The evaluation, conducted via a randomized control trial, shows positive impacts on employment and work-family balance. Women in the treatment group participated in professional courses, informal meetings, reconciliation support and extracurricular activities for their children. We document how targeted mentoring and reconciliation support increases training, hours worked, and fertility desires among specific subgroups of mothers, while also improving children’s engagement in extra curricular activities. Furthermore, a greater proportion of women in the treatment group expressed a desire to have another child." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Bonoli, Giuliano, Patrick Emmenegger & Alina Felder-Stindt (2025): Re‐Skilling in the Age of Skill Shortage: Adult Education Rather Than Active Labor Market Policy. In: Regulation and governance, S. 1-13. DOI:10.1111/rego.70065

Abstract

"European economies face the task of providing the necessary skills for the “twin transition ” in a period of skill shortage. As a result, we may expect countries to reorient their labor market policy towards re-skilling. We look for evidence of a reorientation in two relevant policy fields: active labor market policy (ALMP) and adult education (AE). We explore general trends in both fields based on quantitative indicators and compare recent policy developments in four countries with strong ALMP and AE sectors: Denmark, France, Germany, and Sweden. We do not observe clear evidence of a general movement away from activation and towards re-skilling in ALMP. However, in AE, we identify several re-skilling initiatives that address skill shortages. Relying on insights from queuing theories of hiring and training, we argue that due to changes in the population targeted by ALMP, the locus of re-skilling policy is increasingly moving towards AE." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))