Social Protection vs. Economic Flexibility: Is There a Tradeoff?

Do social protection programs limit the ability of the labor market to adjust to fast-growing segments of the economy, and thus inevitably lead to a decrease in economic growth? This volume compares how such programs as social security, income transfers, and job protection laws in Western Europe, the United States, and Japan have affected labor market flexibility. Does tying health insurance to employment limit job mobility? Do certain housing policies inhibit workers from moving to new jobs in different areas? What are the effects of daycare and maternity leave policies on working mothers? The authors explore these and many other questions in an effort to understand why European unemployment rates are so high compared with the U.S. rate. By examining diverse data sets across different countries, the authors find that while social protection programs do change economic behavior, there is little evidence that they create inflexibility with regard to economic adjustment. To achieve useful comparisons among diverse nations, the authors employ "difference-in-difference" estimators, through which economic changes in a country that has undergone policy changes can be compared to economic changes in a country in which policy has remained constant. An in-depth look at the impact of various welfare programs on labor market change, this book demonstrates how social protection policies have affected employment around the globe.