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Carreño Bustos, José & Burak Uras (2021): Macro-Welfare Effects of Flexible-Hour Contracts. (CentER discussion paper 2021-30), Tilburg, 45 S.

Abstract

"Motivated with the rise of flex-hour labour contracts in advanced economies, we develop a DSGE model and study the macroeconomic welfare effects of flex-hour contracts for a small open economy in a currency union. The framework exhibits two sectors: a fixed (rigid) sector and a flex sector. The fixed sector offers rigid contracts in terms of hours and wages while the flex sector offers flex contracts in both dimensions. We find that the flex sector has a welfare-enhancing role in accommodating short-term shocks in the economy if the fixed sector’s hour adjustment exhibits a high degree of rigidity. We also show that the wage flexibility in the fixed sector has a general equilibrium interaction with hours-work in the flex sector, inducing wage flexibility in the fixed sector to be relatively more desirable compared to an economy without a flex sector. Our results thus have important policy implications for a wide range of countries in European-Monetary-Union - characterized by large flex sectors." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Hall, Axel & Gylfi Zoega (2019): Welfare, employment, and hours of work. (Economics. Discussion papers 2019-01), Kiel, 27 S.

Abstract

"The authors propose an explanation of why Europeans choose to work fewer hours than Americans and also suffer higher rates of unemployment. Labor market regulations, unemployment benefits, and high levels of public consumption in many European countries reduce, ceteris paribus, the gains from being employed, which makes employed workers ask for higher wages relative to productivity. The higher wages make firms offer fewer vacancies, as well as raising the level of consumption enjoyed by workers, which makes them want to enjoy more leisure because consumption and leisure are complements in the utility function." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Martin, John P. (2018): Live longer, work longer. The changing nature of the labour market for older workers in OECD countries. (IZA discussion paper 11510), Bonn, 29 S.

Abstract

"Population ageing poses stark dilemmas for labour markets, social protection systems and cultural norms. It will put strong downward pressure on labour supply, leading to falling real incomes and huge financial pressures on social protection systems unless there is an offsetting increase in employment rates. This is especially true for older workers whose employment rates are well below those of prime-age adults. In this paper, I examine how the labour market for older workers has evolved in OECD countries since 1990, what are the main forces at work, what are the main obstacles to working longer and how might public policies help overcome them. I also speculate about the future for older workers faced with the challenges and opportunities posed by the gig economy." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Wingender, Asger M. (2018): A consistent measure of hours worked for international productivity comparisons. In: Economics Letters, Jg. 166, H. May, S. 14-17. DOI:10.1016/j.econlet.2018.02.009

Abstract

"Hourly labor productivity levels from the national accounts cannot be compared across countries, as national statistical offices use different data sources and methodologies to calculate hours worked. I compute a new, internationally comparable measure of hours worked for 25 OECD countries, and discuss the implications for productivity rankings." (Author's abstract, © 2018 Elsevier) ((en))

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Dolton, Peter (2017): Working hours: Past, present, and future. Work hours have been falling in developed countries - But where will they go in the future? (IZA world of labor 406), Bonn, 10 S. DOI:10.15185/izawol.406

Abstract

"Kürzere Arbeitszeiten sind ungleich über Länder, Branchen und Berufe verteilt. Zugleich hält der Druck an, die Arbeitszeit aus Gründen der Work-Life-Balance weiter zu reduzieren. Ob und wie dies durch den technologischen Wandel erreicht werden kann, ohne dass es zu Einkommensumverteilungen zum Nachteil weniger qualifizierter Arbeitskräfte kommt, wird kontrovers diskutiert. Hier ein optimales Gleichgewicht zu finden, wird eine der großen Zukunftsaufgaben der Politik sein." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)

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Kümmerling, Angelika & Steffen Lehndorff (2014): The use of working time-related crisis response measures during the Great Recession. (Conditions of work and employment series 44), Genf, 40 S.

Abstract

"In principle, two different types of working-time instruments were used to introduce working-time changes during the crisis. First, work-sharing schemes (with their country-specific institutional background and public subsidies); second, working-time adjustments based on unilateral or bilateral decisions taken at the level of the firm, with or without a framework of collective agreements, but in either case without public financial support. While the former have been studied extensively (Messenger and Ghosheh, 2013), the present report takes stock of working time-related crisis-response measures at the firm level beyond those supported by work-sharing schemes. It covers conventional instruments such as reductions of working time with or without financial compensation and variations in the use of overtime hours, but also more innovative approaches such as the use of working time accounts, 'working-time corridors' and various other forms of changes in working-time organization, such as teleworking or compressed working weeks." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Ohanian, Lee E. & Andrea Raffo (2012): Aggregate hours worked in OECD countries. New measurement and implications for business cycles. In: Journal of monetary economics, Jg. 59, H. 1, S. 40-56. DOI:10.1016/j.jmoneco.2011.11.005

Abstract

"We build a dataset of quarterly hours worked for 14 OECD countries. We document that hours are as volatile as output, that a large fraction of labor adjustment takes place along the intensive margin, and that the volatility of hours relative to output has increased over time. We use these data to reassess the Great Recession and prior recessions. The Great Recession in many countries is a puzzle in that labor wedges are small, while those in the U.S. Great Recession - and those in previous European recessions - are much larger." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Thevenon, Olivier & Anne Solaz (2012): Labour market effects of parental leave policies in OECD countries. (OECD social, employment and migration working papers 141), Paris, 67 S. DOI:10.1787/5k8xb6hw1wjf-en

Abstract

"This paper considers how entitlements to paid leave after the birth of children affect female labour market outcomes across countries. Such entitlements are granted for various lengths of time and paid at different rates, reflecting the influence of different objectives including: enhancing children's wellbeing, promoting labour supply, furthering gender equality in labour market outcomes, as well as budget constraints. Although parental care is beneficial for children, there are concerns about the consequences of prolonged periods of leave for labour market outcomes and gender equality. This paper therefore looks at the long-run consequences of extended paid leave on female, male, and gender differences in prime-age (25-54) employment rates, average working hours, and earnings in 30 OECD countries from 1970 to 2010.
It finds that extensions of paid leave lengths have a positive, albeit small, influence on female employment rates and on the gender ratio of employment, as long as the total period of paid leave is no longer than approximately two years. Additional weeks of leave, however, exert a negative effect on female employment and the gender employment gap. This paper also finds that weeks of paid leave positively affect the average number of hours worked by women relative to men, though on condition - once again - that the total duration of leave does not exceed certain limits. By contrast, the provision of paid leave widens the earnings gender gap among full-time employees." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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MacDaniel, Cara (2011): Forces shaping hours worked in the OECD, 1960-2004. In: American Economic Journal. Macroeconomics, Jg. 3, H. 4, S. 27-52. DOI:10.1257/mac.3.4.27

Abstract

"The goal of this paper is to examine the role of taxes and productivity growth as forces influencing market hours. To achieve this goal, the paper considers a calibrated growth model extended to include home production and subsistence consumption, both of which are found to be key features influencing market hours. The model is simulated for 15 OECD countries. The primary force driving changes in market hours is found to be changing labor income tax rates. Productivity catch-up relative to the United States is found to be an important secondary force." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Ngai, Rachel & Christopher A. Pissarides (2011): Taxes, social subsidies, and the allocation of work time. In: American Economic Journal. Macroeconomics, Jg. 3, H. 4, S. 1-26. DOI:10.1257/mac.3.4.1

Abstract

"We examine the allocation of hours of work across industrial sectors in OECD countries. We find large disparities across three sector groups, one that produces goods without home substitutes, and two others that have home substitutes but are treated differently by welfare policy. We attribute the disparities to the countries' tax and subsidy policies. High taxation substantially reduces hours in sectors that have close home substitutes but less so in other sectors. Subsidies increase hours in the subsidized sectors that have home substitutes. We compute these policy effects for 19 OECD countries." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Otterbach, Steffen (2010): Mismatches between actual and preferred work time. Empirical evidence of hours constraints in 21 countries. In: Journal of consumer policy, Jg. 33, H. 2, S. 143-161. DOI:10.1007/s10603-009-9116-7

Abstract

"This paper analyses the discrepancy between actual and desired working hours in a multinational setting. Using the latest data of the International Social Survey Program (ISSP) with a focus on work orientations hours constraints in 21 heterogeneous countries are analysed. One major finding is that hours constraints are interrelated with macroeconomic variables such as (a) unemployment rates, (b) GDP per capita as a measure of welfare, (c) average weekly work hours, and (d) income inequality. A subsequent multivariate analysis reveals that, on both macro- and microlevels, sociodemographic variables like prosperity and income, high risk of unemployment, and working conditions play an important role in determining working hours constraints. The results further suggest that, with respect to working conditions, such constraints are also affected by gender issues." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Causa, Orsetta (2009): The policy determinants of hours worked across OECD countries. In: OECD Journal: Economic Studies, Jg. 2009, H. 1, S. 9-47.

Abstract

"This article investigates the policy determinants of hours worked among employed individuals in OECD countries, focussing on the impact of taxation, working-time regulations, and other labour and product market policies. It explores the factors underlying cross-country differences in hours worked - in line with previous aggregate approaches - while at the same time it looks more closely at labour force heterogeneity - in the vein of microeconomic labour supply models. The paper shows that policies and institutions have a different impact on working hours of men and women. Firstly, while high marginal taxes create a disincentive to work longer hours for women, their impact on hours worked by men is almost insignificant. Secondly, working-time regulations have a significant impact on hours worked by men, and this impact differs across education categories. Thirdly, other labour and product market policies, in particular stringent employment protection of workers on regular contracts and competition-restraining product market policies, have a negative impact on hours worked by men, over and beyond their impact on employment levels." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Ngai, L. Rachel & Christopher A. Pissarides (2009): Welfare policy and the distribution of hours of work. (CEP discussion paper 962), London, 44 S.

Abstract

"We examine the distribution of hours of work across industrial sectors in OECD countries. We find large disparities when sectors are divided into three groups: one that produces goods without home substitutes and two others that have home substitutes - health and social work, and all others. We attribute the disparities to the countries' tax and subsidy policies. High taxation substantially reduces hours in sectors that have close home substitutes but less so in other sectors. Health and social care subsidies increase hours in that sector. We compute these effects for nineteen OECD countries." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Sila, Urban (2009): Can family-support policies help explain differences in working hours across countries? (CEP discussion paper 955), London, 67 S.

Abstract

"It has been suggested in the literature that taxes and subsidies play an important role in explaining the differences in working hours across countries. In this paper I test whether public programmes for family support play a role in explaining this variation. I analyse two types of policies: childcare subsidies and family cash benefits. I distinguish between people with children and people without children. Childcare subsidies should increase working hours in the economy and these effects should differ between people with children and people without children. Public support to families is also expected to decrease the amount of time people spend in childcare at home. I test this using household data for a set of European countries and the US. Empirical analysis, however, does not support the family-policy explanation. The effects of the policies on working hours are weak and insignificant. In regressions with time spent caring for children as a dependent variable, the estimates of the effects contradict the predictions of the theory. Furthermore, I don't find evidence for the expected differences in effects between parents and nonparents. I conclude that family policies are not helpful in explaining the variation in working hours across countries." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Causa, Orsetta (2008): Explaining differences in hours worked among OECD countries. An empirical analysis. (OECD Economics Department working papers 596), Paris, 65 S. DOI:10.1787/244230044118

Abstract

"This working paper investigates the policy determinants of hours worked among employed individuals in OECD countries, focussing on the impact of taxation, working-time regulations, and other labour and product market policies. It explores the factors underlying cross-country differences in hours worked - in line with previous aggregate approaches - while at the same time it looks more closely at labour force heterogeneity - in the vein of microeconomic labour supply models. The paper shows that policies and institutions have a different impact on working hours of men and women. Firstly, while high marginal taxes create a disincentive to work longer hours for women, their impact on hours worked by men is almost insignificant. Secondly, working-time regulations have a significant impact on hours worked by men, and this impact differs across education categories. Thirdly, other labour and product market policies, in particular stringent employment protection of workers on regular contracts and competition-restraining product market policies, have a negative impact on hours worked by men, over and beyond their impact on employment levels." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Langot, Francois & Coralia Quintero Rojas (2008): Explaining the evolution of hours worked and employment across OECD countries. An equilibrium search approach. (IZA discussion paper 3364), Bonn, 39 S.

Abstract

"Since 1960, the dynamics of the aggregate hours of market work exhibit dramatic differences across industrialized countries. Before 1980, these differences seem to come from the hours worked per employee (the intensive margin). However, since 1980 a notable feature of the data is that the divergence across countries responds to quantitatively important differences along the employment rate (the extensive margin). In this paper we develop an equilibrium matching model where both margins are endogenous. The model is rich enough to account for the behavior of the two margins of the aggregate hours when we include the observed heterogeneity across countries of both the taxes and the labor market institutions such as the unemployment benefits and the bargaining power. Because these findings come from on unified framework, they also give a strong support to the matching models." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Lee, Sangheon, Deirdre MacCann & Jon C. Messenger (2007): Working time around the world. Trends in working hours, laws and policies in a global comparative perspective. (Routledge studies in the modern world economy), London u.a.: Routledge, 222 S.

Abstract

John Maynard Keynes wagte einst die Voraussage, daß sich für seine Enkelgeneration der Drei-Stunden-Arbeitstag durchsetzen werde. Siebzig Jahre später ist die Frage der Arbeitszeit genauso relevant wie zur Zeit der Einführung der 40-Stundenwoche. Mit dem Titel "Working Time around the World" liegt eine weltweit vergleichende Analyse von Arbeitszeitgesetzen, Arbeitszeitpolitiken und aktuellen Arbeitszeiten vor. Trotz eines jahrhundertelangen Optimismus über reduzierte Arbeitszeiten und einigen Fortschritten bei gesetzgeberischen Massnahmen zur Arbeitszeitbegrenzung zeigt diese Studie, dass - ohne ein klares Signal zur Arbeitszeitreduzierung - die Unterschiede in industrialisierten und sich entwickelnden Ländern beachtlich bleiben. Die Studie macht einige Vorschläge, wie diese Kluft geschlossen werden kann. Die Autoren legen ihren theoretischen Hintergrund eines Konzepts von Arbeitszeit dar, bevor sie die aktuellen Trends bei Arbeitszeitgesetzen in sich entwickelnden Ländern und Transformationsländern vorstellen. Das Werk untersucht die Entwicklung in ausgesuchten Ländern und berücksichtigt sowohl umfassende Trends der Arbeitszeit im nationalen Rahmen als auch die Strukturen und Dynamiken, die diesen Trends unterliegen. Die Autoren legen zudem Vorschläge vor, die die Erhaltung von Gesundheit und Sicherheit, Familienfreundlichkeit, Geschlechtergerechtigkeit, Produktivitätssteigerung und die Mitbestimmung der Arbeitnehmer über Arbeitszeitfragen fördern.

Abstract

"Obwohl Deutschland im OECD-Vergleich einen großen Anteil seiner Wirtschaftsleistung in die Unterstützung von Familien und Kindern investiert, leben hierzulande mehr Kinder in wirtschaftlich prekären Verhältnissen als in den meisten anderen OECD-Ländern. Ein wichtiger Grund dafür ist, dass der Staat in Deutschland für Kinder zwar vergleichsweise großzügige finanzielle Zuschüsse gewährt, aber nur in geringem Umfang die Rahmenbedingungen bietet, damit Eltern selbst einen Beitrag zur Verbesserung der wirtschaftlichen Lage leisten können." (Autorenreferat, IAB-Doku)

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Booth, Alison L. & Margi Wood (2006): Back-to-front down-under? Part-time/full-time wage differentials in Australia. (IZA discussion paper 2268), Bonn, 33 S.

Abstract

"In 2003, part-time employment in Australia accounted for over 42% of the Australian female workforce, nearly 17% of the male workforce, and represented 28% of total employment. Of the OECD countries, only the Netherlands has a higher proportion of working women employed part-time and Australia tops the OECD league in terms of its proportion of working men who are part-time. In this paper we investigate part-time full-time hourly wage gaps using important new panel data from the first four waves of the new Household, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia Survey. We find that, once unobserved individual heterogeneity has been taken into account, part-time men and women typically earn an hourly pay premium. This premium varies with casual employment status, but is always positive, a result that survives our robustness checks. We advance some hypotheses as to why there is a part-time pay advantage in Australia." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))

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Kappler, Marcus (2006): Panel tests for unit roots in hours worked. (ZEW discussion paper 2006-022), Mannheim, 35 S.

Abstract

"Hours worked is a time series of interest in many empirical investigations of the macroeconomy. Estimates of macro elasticities of labour supply, for example, build on this variable. Other empirical applications investigate the response of hours worked to a shock to technology on the basis of the real business cycle model. Irrespective of the problem being addressed, robust inference of empirical outcomes strongly hinges on the adequately modelling of the time series of hours worked. The aim of the present paper is to provide cross country evidence of the non- stationarity of hours worked for OECD countries. For these purposes, panel unit root tests are employed to improve power against univariate counterparts. Since cross section correlation is a distinct feature of the underlying panel data, results are based on various second generation panel unit root tests which account for cross section dependence among units. If an unobserved common factor model is assumed for generating the observations, there is indication for both a common factor and idiosyncratic components driving the non-stationarity of hours worked. In addition, taking these results together, there is no indication of cointegration among the individual time series of hours worked." (Author's abstract, IAB-Doku) ((en))