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The Threat of Monitoring Job Search. A Discontinuity Design

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  • B. COCKX
  • M. DEJEMEPPE

Abstract

Since July 2004 the job search effort of long-term unemployed benefit claimants is monitored in Belgium. We exploit the discontinuity in the treatment assignment at the age of 30 to evaluate the effect of a notification sent at least 8 months before job search is verified. The threat of monitoring increases transitions to employment, but of lower quality. In the less prosperous region, Wallonia, the impact is smaller, despite of the presence of specific counseling for the notified workers, and more heterogeneous. Moreover, in this region, the threat induces women to substitute sickness for unemployment benefits.

Suggested Citation

  • B. Cockx & M. Dejemeppe, 2010. "The Threat of Monitoring Job Search. A Discontinuity Design," Working Papers of Faculty of Economics and Business Administration, Ghent University, Belgium 10/685, Ghent University, Faculty of Economics and Business Administration.
    • Handle: RePEc:rug:rugwps:10/685
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    File URL: https://wps-feb.ugent.be/Papers/wp_10_685.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    As found by EconAcademics.org, the blog aggregator for Economics research:
    1. The impact of job search monitoring
      by Economic Logician in Economic Logic on 2011-03-21 19:02:00

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    Cited by:

    1. Bart COCKX & Muriel DEJEMEPPE & Andrey LAUNOV & Bruno VAN DER LINDEN, 2011. "Monitoring, Sanctions and Front-Loading of Job Search in a Non-Stationary Model," LIDAM Discussion Papers IRES 2011042, Université catholique de Louvain, Institut de Recherches Economiques et Sociales (IRES).
    2. Hullegie, P.G.J., 2012. "Essays on health and labor economics," Other publications TiSEM dcc68fc9-7af1-4ba9-8f90-6, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    3. Cockx, Bart & Dejemeppe, Muriel, 2012. "Monitoring job search effort: An evaluation based on a regression discontinuity design," Labour Economics, Elsevier, vol. 19(5), pages 729-737.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    evaluation; monitoring job-search; threat effect; regression-discontinuity; grouped data.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J64 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Unemployment: Models, Duration, Incidence, and Job Search
    • J65 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Unemployment Insurance; Severance Pay; Plant Closings
    • J68 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Public Policy
    • H43 - Public Economics - - Publicly Provided Goods - - - Project Evaluation; Social Discount Rate

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