register
Robert Moffitt

Johns Hopkins University, USA, and IZA, Germany

World of Labor is an ambitious attempt to convey what we know about labor markets based on the most reliable and creditable research. It should prove to be of immense value to policymakers

IZA World of Labor role

Author

Current position

Professor of Economics, John Hopkins Unversity, USA

Research interest

Labor economics, economies of government benefit and programs

Website

http://bit.ly/Moffitt_IZApage

Past positions

Professor of Economics, Brown University, USA (1984–1995)

Qualifications

PhD Economics, Brown University, 1975

Selected publications

  • “The Great Recession and the social safety net." Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science 650:1 (2013): 143–166.

  • “Job instability and insecurity for males and females in the 1980s and 1990s.” In: Neumark, D. (ed.). On the Job: Is Long-Term Employment a Thing of the Past? New York: Russell Sage, 2000 (with P. Gottschalk).

  • “The growth of earnings instability in the US labor market.” Brookings Papers on Economic Activity, No. 2 (1994): 217–272 (with P. Gottschalk).

  • “Unemployment insurance and the distribution of unemployment spells.” Journal of Econometrics 28:1 (1985): 85–101.

  • “The effect of unemployment insurance on unemployment.” Review of Economics and Statistics 64:1 (1982): 1–11 (with W. Nicholson).

article(s)

  • Unemployment benefits and unemployment Updated

    The challenge of unemployment benefits is to protect workers while minimizing undesirable side effects

    Robert MoffittWonsik Ko, June 2024
    All developed economies have unemployment benefit programs to protect workers against major income losses during spells of unemployment. By enabling unemployed workers to meet basic consumption needs, the programs protect workers from having to sell their assets or accept jobs below their qualifications. The programs also help stabilize the economy during recessions. If benefits are too generous, however, the programs can lengthen unemployment and raise the unemployment rate. The policy challenge is to protect workers while minimizing undesirable side effects.
    MoreLess