Policy Challenges

The interplay between labor market policies and institutions and ongoing trends related to the changing world of work is at the core of IZA’s research team “Policy Challenges”. Globalization, international migration, demographic change, technological progress and climate change present serious challenges to policy-makers around the world. They have to respond to questions arising from rapidly transforming skill demands, changing employment and income opportunities as well as novel workplace environments faced by workers and firms. At the same time, policy measures may have important and potentially unintended consequences for the future transformation of the world of work.

Currently, our research activities focus on the following questions:

  • How do workers and firms respond to labor market policy reforms?
  • What are the labor market consequences of migration episodes for natives and migrants and how can policy measures mitigate them?
  • What is the impact of environmental factors and policies on human capital and labor market outcomes?

 

Contact

N.N. (Team Leader)

 

All research teams

Selected ongoing projects

Job Search in the Midst of the COVID-19 Pandemic

The Impact of Job Disruptions on Households During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Minimum Wage Effects on Employment and Unemployment in Germany

Evaluation of Labor Market Programs to Integrate Refugees in Germany

Firm Demand for Flexible Employment: Evidence from 60 Million Job Adverts

Migration Shocks and Housing: Evidence from the Syrian Refugee Crisis in Jordan

 

Recent Publications

Colussi, Tommaso; Isphording, Ingo E.; Pestel, Nico (2021): Minority Salience and Political Extremism. American Economic Journal: Applied Economics 13 (3), 237-271.

DellaVigna, Stefano; Heining, Jörg; Schmieder, Johannes F.; Trenkle, Simon (2021): Evidence on Job Search Models from a Survey of Unemployed Workers in Germany. Quarterly Journal of Economics (forthcoming).

Isphording, Ingo E.; Lipfert, Marc; Pestel, Nico (2021): Does Re-opening Schools Contribute to the Spread
of SARS-CoV-2? Evidence from Staggered Summer Breaks in Germany. Journal of Public Economics, 198, 104426.

Isphording, Ingo E.; Pestel, Nico (2021): Pandemic Meets Pollution: Poor Air Quality Increases Deaths by COVID-19. Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, 108, 102448.

Pestel, Nico; Wozny, Florian (2021): Health Effects of Low Emission Zones: Evidence from German Hospitals.  Journal of Environmental Economics and Management, 109, 102512.

Bonin, Holger; Isphording, Ingo E.; Krause-Pilatus, Annabelle; Lichter, Andreas; Pestel, Nico; Rinne, Ulf (2020): The German Statutory Minimum Wage and Its Effects on Regional Employment and Unemployment. Journal of Economics and Statistics, 240 (2-3), 295-319.

Gaudecker, Hans-Martin von; Holler, Radost; Janys, Lena; Siflinger, Bettina M; Zimpelmann, Christian (2020): Labour Supply during Lockdown and a "New Normal": The Case of the Netherlands. IZA Discussion Paper No. 13623.

Gaudecker, Hans-Martin von; Holler, Radost; Janys, Lena; Siflinger, Bettina M; Zimpelmann, Christian (2020): Labour Supply in the Early Stages of the COVID-19 Pandemic: Empirical Evidence on Hours, Home Office, and Expectations. IZA Discussion Paper No. 13158

Schmieder, Johannes F,: Trenkle, Simon (2020): Disincentive Effects of Unemployment Benefits and the Role of Caseworkers. Journal of Public Economics, 182 (505), 104096.

Künn, Steffen; Palacios, Juan; Pestel, Nico (2019): Indoor Air Quality and Cognitive Performance. IZA Discussion Paper No. 12632.

Chevalier, Arnaud; Elsner, Benjamin; Lichter, Andreas; Pestel, Nico (2018): Immigrant Voters, Taxation and the Size of the Welfare State. IZA Discussion Paper No. 12063.

Eichhorst, Werner; Rinne, Ulf (2017): Digital Challenges for the Welfare State. CESifo Forum, 18 (4), 3-8.

Lichter, Andreas; Pestel, Nico; Sommer, Eric (2017): Productivity Effects of Air Pollution: Evidence from Professional Soccer. Labour Economics, 48, 54-66.

 

Events

The Economics of Long-Term Care and Healthy Aging