Evidence-based policy making
IZA World of Labor is an online platform that provides policy analysts, journalists, academics and society generally with relevant and concise information on labor market issues. Based on the latest research, it provides current thinking on labor markets worldwide in a clear and accessible style. IZA World of Labor aims to support evidence-based policy making and increase awareness of labor market issues, including current concerns like the impact of Covid-19, and longer-term problems like inequality.
View our content on Covid-19—Pandemics and the labor market
Correspondence testing studies
What is there to learn about discrimination in hiring?
Anti-discrimination policies play an important role in public discussions. However, identifying discriminatory practices in the labor market is not an easy task. Correspondence testing provides a credible way to reveal discrimination in hiring and provide hard facts for policies, and it has provided evidence of discrimination in hiring across almost all continents except Africa. The method involves sending matched pairs of identical job applications to employers posting jobs—the only difference being a characteristic that signals membership to a group.
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Correspondence testing studies Updated
What is there to learn about discrimination in hiring?
Dan-Olof Rooth, January 2021Anti-discrimination policies play an important role in public discussions. However, identifying discriminatory practices in the labor market is not an easy task. Correspondence testing provides a credible way to reveal discrimination in hiring and provide hard facts for policies, and it has provided evidence of discrimination in hiring across almost all continents except Africa. The method involves sending matched pairs of identical job applications to employers posting jobs—the only difference being a characteristic that signals membership to a group.MoreLess -
Individual and family labor market impacts of chronic diseases
Chronic diseases worsen labor market outcomes, but firms’ hiring and retention policies can reduce them
Amanda Gaulke, January 2021Chronic health conditions are a global concern and can impact labor market outcomes of those diagnosed and their caregivers. Since the global prevalence of many chronic health conditions is on the rise, it is important to know what firms can do to retain and hire workers who are impacted. Firms can improve hiring by addressing biases against potential employees with chronic health conditions. Furthermore, firms can retain impacted workers by offering workplace flexibility such as partial sick leave, work hour flexibility, and part-time work options.MoreLess -
The effect of overtime regulations on employment Updated
Strictly controlling overtime hours and pay does not boost employment—it could even lower it
Ronald L. OaxacaGaliya Sagyndykova, December 2020Regulation of standard workweek hours and overtime hours and pay can protect workers who might otherwise be required to work more than they would like to at the going rate. By discouraging the use of overtime, such regulation can increase the standard hourly wage of some workers and encourage work sharing that increases employment, with particular advantages for female workers. However, regulation of overtime raises employment costs, setting in motion economic forces that can limit, neutralize, or even reduce employment. And increasing the coverage of overtime pay regulations has little effect on the share of workers who work overtime or on weekly overtime hours per worker.MoreLess -
Health effects of job insecurity Updated
Job insecurity adversely affects health, but employability policies and otherwise better job quality can mitigate the effects
Francis Green, December 2020The fear of unemployment has increased around the world in the wake of Covid-19. Research has shown that job insecurity affects both mental and physical health, though the effects are lower when employees are easily re-employable. The detrimental effects of job insecurity could be partly mitigated if employers improved other aspects of job quality that support better health. But as job insecurity is felt by many more people than just the unemployed, the negative health effects during recessions are multiplied and extend through the majority of the population. This reinforces the need for effective, stabilising macroeconomic policies, most especially at this time of pandemic.MoreLess
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Jan 21, 2021
Australia’s unemployment rate has dropped to 6.6%
30,000 more Australians have found work during the Covid-19 pandemic, causing the unemployment rate to drop to just over six percent. -
Jan 19, 2021
Germany to require big companies have at least one woman on their boards
The German cabinet has approved a new law that will require all large, publicly listed companies in the country to have at least one woman on their executive boards. -
Jan 15, 2021
Friday news roundup January 15, 2021
A UK supermarket chain raised its minimum wage to £10 an hour and German firms are testing wearable tech to enforce social distancing. Here’s a snapshot of some of the news stories you might have missed. -
Jan 14, 2021
Businesses need to work on improving age diversity, CEO says
A multi-generational workforce will be vital for companies as they recover from the Covid-19 pandemic. -
Jan 13, 2021
Google’s new union seeks to influence social and economic issues
In the first week of January, a group of workers at Google’s parent company formed the Alphabet Workers Union. -
Jan 12, 2021
Half the pollution in the western US is caused by wildfires
In recent years wildfire smoke has accounted for up to 50% of all health-damaging small particle air pollution in the western US. -
Jan 08, 2021
Friday news roundup January 8, 2021
Covid-19 could reverse Italy's brain drain and electric car sales outstrip those powered by other means in Norway. Here’s a snapshot of some of the news stories you might have missed.
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May 14, 2021 - May 15, 2021
SOLE's 26th Annual Meeting
Philadelphia, United States
The Society of Labor Economists will hold the 26th Annual Meetings on May 14-15, 2021 at the Sonesta Philadelphia, 1800 Market Street Philadelphia, PA, 19103.
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Sep 07, 2021 - Sep 08, 2021
World Employment Conference 2020: Steering a labour market in transformation
Madrid, Spain
The 2020 World Employment Conference originally planned to take place from September 29 to October 1 in Madrid, Spain has been postponed to September 2021.
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Sep 16, 2021 - Sep 18, 2021
33rd Annual Conference of the European Association of Labour Economists
Padua, Italy
The European Association of Labour Economists are pleased to invite all labour economists to submit papers for presentations at the 33rd Annual Conference of the European Association of Labour Economists, to be held in Padua Italy, 16-18 September 2021.
Measuring income inequality: Ija Trapeznikova in conversation with Daniel S Hamermesh
Income inequality and social origins: Lorenzo Cappellari in conversation with Daniel S Hamermesh
Automation and the future of jobs: Stijn Broecke in conversation with Daniel S Hamermesh
Inequality and informality in transition and emerging countries: Roberto Dell'Anno and Dan Hamermesh
Fighting a coronavirus recession
Pandemics and the labor market—Then and now
Pricing the lives saved by coronavirus policies
Health effects of the coronavirus recession
The long-term consequences of missing a term of school
Korea: A paragon of dealing with coronavirus
Trading off lives for jobs
Graduating during the Covid-19 recession
Effects of Covid-19 on spending and saving
Elections and the Covid-19 pandemic