This paper studies the effects of a market-level reduction in job search provided by unemployment benefit recipients. We exploit a market-level policy change in Switzerland, where a subset of Public Employment Services reduced the number of required applications by 25% and abolished mandatory vacancy referrals.
Using detailed administrative data and difference-in-differences designs, we find that the policy change increased the average duration of unemployment spells by about 6%, while increasing average reemployment earnings by about 2%. At the firm side, vacancy filling and posting reduced substantially.
Date
13.11.2025
, 11 a.m. until noon
Venue
Institute for Employment Research
Regensburger Straße 104
90478 Nürnberg
Room Re100 E10
or online via MS Teams
Registration
Researchers who like to participate, please send an e-mail to IAB.Colloquium@iab.de