Estimating Participation Responses Using Transfer Program Reform

Arbeitspapier

In this paper we estimate labor force participation responses for married women in Sweden using population-wide register data and detailed information about individuals’ budget sets. For identification we exploit a reform in the system for housing allowances in 1997 which affected participation tax rates for households with/without children differently. Using a simple theoretical framework we provide a structural interpretation of our estimates and highlight how the employment response depends on the employment level. Our central estimate of the participation elasticity is 0.13. When splitting the treated sample into four quartiles based on the wife’s skill level we find that the participation elasticity is more than twice as large for the lowest-skill sample than for the highest-skill sample.

Object Details

• Language: Englisch

References and Relationships

• Bibliographic citation: Series: CESifo Working Paper ; No. 5781

Classification and Topics

• Classification: Wirtschaft ; Taxation, Subsidies, and Revenue: General ; Time Allocation and Labor Supply
• Subject: labor supply ; social assistance ; housing allowance ; in-work tax credits ; take up of transfer programs

Contributors, Places and Time

• Event: Geistige Schöpfung
• (who): Bastani, Spencer ; Moberg, Ylva ; Selin, Håkan
• Event: Veröffentlichung
• (who): Center for Economic Studies and ifo Institute (CESifo)
• (where): Munich
• (when): 2016

Further information

• Handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10419/130423
• Last update: 10.03.2025, 11:42 AM CET