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Good Jobs and Bad Jobs

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  • Richard Layard

Abstract

1. Human happiness is more affected by whether or not one has a job than by what kind of job it is. 2. Thus, when jobs are to hand, we should insist that unemployed people take them. This involves a much more pro-active placement service and clearer conditionality than applies in many countries. 3. But we should also guarantee unemployed people work within a year of becoming unemployed. In this way we put a reciprocal obligation on the state (to produce work) and on the individual (to take it). Such a guarantee requires a well- judged mix of subsidies, supported work, and training. 4. Where there is low pay, the correct response is in-work benefits, together with a longterm strategy to reduce low skill.

Suggested Citation

  • Richard Layard, 2004. "Good Jobs and Bad Jobs," CEP Occasional Papers 19, Centre for Economic Performance, LSE.
    • Handle: RePEc:cep:cepops:19
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Blanchflower, David G. & Oswald, Andrew J., 2004. "Well-being over time in Britain and the USA," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 88(7-8), pages 1359-1386, July.
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    Cited by:

    1. Junankar, Pramod N. (Raja), 2013. "Is there a Trade-off between Employment and Productivity?," IZA Discussion Papers 7717, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    2. Filandri, Marianna & Nazio, Tiziana & O'Reilly, Jacqueline, 2018. "Youth transitions and job quality: How long should they wait and what difference does the family make?," EconStor Open Access Articles and Book Chapters, ZBW - Leibniz Information Centre for Economics, pages 271-293.
    3. Koch, Susanne & Stephan, Gesine & Walwei, Ulrich, 2005. "Workfare: Möglichkeiten und Grenzen," IAB-Discussion Paper 200517, Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), Nürnberg [Institute for Employment Research, Nuremberg, Germany].
    4. Daniel Sage, 2015. "Do Active Labour Market Policies Promote the Subjective Well-Being of the Unemployed? Evidence from the UK National Well-Being Programme," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 16(5), pages 1281-1298, October.
    5. Schömann, Klaus & Siarov, Liuben & van den Heuvel, Nick, 2006. "Managing social risks through transitional labour markets," Discussion Papers, Research Unit: Labor Market Policy and Employment SP I 2006-117, WZB Berlin Social Science Center.
    6. A Charlwood, 2005. "The De-Collectivisation of Pay Setting in Britain 1990-1998: Incidence, Determinants and Impact," CEP Discussion Papers dp0705, Centre for Economic Performance, LSE.
    7. Arie Sherman & Tal Shavit & Guy Barokas, 2020. "A Dynamic Model on Happiness and Exogenous Wealth Shock: The Case of Lottery Winners," Journal of Happiness Studies, Springer, vol. 21(1), pages 117-137, January.
    8. Carola Grün & Wolfgang Hauser & Thomas Rhein, 2010. "Is Any Job Better than No Job? Life Satisfaction and Re-employment," Journal of Labor Research, Springer, vol. 31(3), pages 285-306, September.
    9. Sherman, Arie & Shavit, Tal, 2013. "The immaterial sustenance of work and leisure: A new look at the work–leisure model," Journal of Behavioral and Experimental Economics (formerly The Journal of Socio-Economics), Elsevier, vol. 46(C), pages 10-16.
    10. Koch, Susanne & Stephan, Gesine & Walwei, Ulrich, 2005. "Workfare: Möglichkeiten und Grenzen (Workfare : possibilities and limits)," Zeitschrift für ArbeitsmarktForschung - Journal for Labour Market Research, Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), Nürnberg [Institute for Employment Research, Nuremberg, Germany], vol. 38(2/3), pages 419-440.
    11. Koch, Susanne & Stephan, Gesine & Walwei, Ulrich, 2005. "Workfare: Möglichkeiten und Grenzen (Workfare : possibilities and limits)," Zeitschrift für ArbeitsmarktForschung - Journal for Labour Market Research, Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), Nürnberg [Institute for Employment Research, Nuremberg, Germany], vol. 38(2/3), pages 419-440.
    12. Rafael Muñoz de Bustillo & Enrique Fernández-Macías & José-Ignacio Antón & Fernando Esteve, 2011. "Measuring More than Money," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 14072.
    13. Charlwood, Andy, 2005. "The de-collectivisation of pay setting in Britain 1990-1998: incidence, determinants and impact," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 19881, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    14. O'Farrell, Rory, 2012. "The effect of international firm mobility on wages and unemployment," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 19(6), pages 931-943.
    15. Koch, Susanne & Stephan, Gesine & Walwei, Ulrich, 2005. "Workfare: Möglichkeiten und Grenzen (Workfare : possibilities and limits)," Zeitschrift für ArbeitsmarktForschung - Journal for Labour Market Research, Institut für Arbeitsmarkt- und Berufsforschung (IAB), Nürnberg [Institute for Employment Research, Nuremberg, Germany], vol. 38(2/3), pages 419-440.
    16. Andrea Bassanini, 2006. "Training, wages and employment security," Post-Print halshs-00120488, HAL.
    17. Jonathan R. W. Temple, 2005. "Growth and Wage Inequality in a Dual Economy," Bulletin of Economic Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 57(2), pages 145-169, April.

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    More about this item

    JEL classification:

    • J1 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demographic Economics
    • R14 - Urban, Rural, Regional, Real Estate, and Transportation Economics - - General Regional Economics - - - Land Use Patterns
    • J01 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - General - - - Labor Economics: General

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