On-the-Job Learning, Firing Costs and Employment

Pilar Díaz-Vázquez, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela, Spain
Dennis J. Snower, Kiel Institute for World Economics, Kiel (Germany), IZA and CEPR
Luis E. Arjona-Béjar, Universidad de Santiago de Compostela

A BEJEAP Contributions article.

Abstract

This paper explores the influence of on-the-job learning on the employment effect of firing costs. In the absence of on-the-job learning, the theoretical literature shows that firing costs may increase average employment (over the booms and recessions of the business cycle). We show that the existence of on-the-job learning weakens this effect. In fact, when the amount of on-the-job learning is sufficiently large, a rise in firing costs tends to reduce average employment.

Submitted: November 24, 2003 · Accepted: February 19, 2005 · Published: April 4, 2005

Originally published in Contributions to Economic Analysis & Policy.

Recommended Citation

Díaz-Vázquez, Pilar; Snower, Dennis J.; and Arjona-Béjar, Luis E. (2005) "On-the-Job Learning, Firing Costs and Employment," Contributions to Economic Analysis & Policy: Vol. 4 : Iss. 1, Article 2.
Available at: http://www.bepress.com/bejeap/contributions/vol4/iss1/art2

 
 
 
 

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