The Microeconometrics Seminar: Every Tuesday at 12:15 pm.
Time: 12:15 pm – 1:30 pm
Date: 8 th of October 2019
Place: Room 3001
Gérard VAN DEN BERG (University of Bristol) – “Mandatory Integration Agreements for Unemployed Job Seekers: a Randomized Controlled Trial in Germany”

Abstract: In the German unemployment insurance system, Integration Agreements (IA) are mandatory contracts between employment office and job seeker, jointly signed by the latter and his/her caseworker. Though there is a nudging element in the stipulation of rights and obligations, IAs are generally perceived as instruments to control search behavior with an eye on swift reemployment. We designed and implemented a Randomized Controlled Trial involving thousands of newly unemployed workers, where we randomize the timing of the IA as well as the extent to which the timing is announced in advance. Randomization is at the individual level. We use rich administrative registers to observe outcomes and surveys among job seekers and caseworkers to assess the program. We find that early IAs have on average a small positive effect on entering employment within a year. When profiling individuals by predicted unemployment durations, we find that this is driven by individuals with predicted durations exceeding six months.

Organizers:

Xavier D’HAULTFOEUILLE (Laboratoire de Microéconométrie-CREST)
Benoît SCHMUTZ (Laboratoire de Microéconométrie-CREST)
Sponsors:
CREST