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Commentary

Commentary

Watch exclusive video from conferences, debates and other events on labor market economics as well as reading the latest opinion pieces from IZA World of Labor authors.

July 30, 2018

Libertad Gonzalez

Should divorce be cheap and easy?

What are the short- and long-term consequences for couples and for society of making divorce easier?
July 09, 2018

Lorenzo Cappellari

Income inequality and social origins

Reducing income inequality within countries is of paramount importance among the challenges facing policymakers in the years to come. The UN has included the reduction of inequality among its Sustainable Development Goals, because promoting growth alone may not be enough to help the poor out of poverty when growth is unevenly distributed across households.
June 18, 2018

Pieter Bevelander

Integrating refugees into the labor market

Better labor market integration of refugees and their families will enhance their further integration, increase revenues to fund welfare programs, and function as a counterweight to popular negative views on immigration and integration.
June 04, 2018

Melanie Jones

Disability and labor market disadvantage

Individuals who report a long-term limiting health problem are one of the most disadvantaged groups within the labor market.

Women at Work Around the World

Female labor force participation is mainly driven by the value of women’s market wages versus the value of their non-market time. While women’s labor force participation has risen in many countries, rates remain quite low in some countries and regions.
Minimum wages, austerity and debt

2013 IZA prizewinner, Daniel Hamermesh, discusses topical economic issues, including minimum wage, and austerity. See his IZA World of Labor article where he examines how labor costs affect companies' demand for labor.
The importance of labor supply and the role of public policy

Richard Blundell, of University College London and IZA, explains the importance of labor supply and the role that public policy plays. His IZA World of Labor article specifically looks at the role of tax policy.