American Economic Journal:
Applied Economics
ISSN 1945-7782 (Print) | ISSN 1945-7790 (Online)
Job Search Periods for Welfare Applicants: Evidence from a Randomized Experiment
American Economic Journal: Applied Economics
vol. 11,
no. 1, January 2019
(pp. 92–125)
(Complimentary)
Abstract
We combine a randomized experiment with administrative data to study the effects of mandatory job search periods in the Dutch welfare system. Job search periods postpone the first welfare benefits payment and encourage applicants to start searching for jobs actively. Job search periods substantially reduce benefits take up. The decline in benefits receipt is permanent, but fully compensated by increased earnings because of higher reemployment rates. We do not find detectable effects on health and crime outcomes, nor do we observe income declines for more vulnerable applicants. Our results suggest that job search periods are an effective instrument for targeting benefits to welfare applicants.Citation
Bolhaar, Jonneke, Nadine Ketel, and Bas van der Klaauw. 2019. "Job Search Periods for Welfare Applicants: Evidence from a Randomized Experiment." American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, 11 (1): 92–125. DOI: 10.1257/app.20170163Additional Materials
JEL Classification
- C93 Field Experiments
- I38 Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty: Government Programs; Provision and Effects of Welfare Programs
- J31 Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials
- J64 Unemployment: Models, Duration, Incidence, and Job Search
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