Seminar in Economics | with Leanne Nam
Welcome to this seminar in economics organized by the Department of Economics, SSE. The seminar speaker is Leanne Nam, University of Mannheim who will present "Employment Stability, Earnings Dynamics, and Life-Cycle Savings"
Abstract
Labor markets are characterized by large heterogeneity in employment stability: some workers hold stable, lifetime jobs, while others cycle frequently in and out of employment. This heterogeneity likely shapes earnings dynamics and savings behavior of workers. Yet, the consequences of this salient feature of the labor market remains largely unexplored. We fill this gap with an empirical and a quantitative theory answer. We first document two new empirical facts: (1) workers with more stable employment experience faster earnings growth and (2) accumulate more wealth per dollar of income. Second, we develop a life-cycle model that combines a labor market search model with an incomplete markets model of saving behavior. We use the model to interpret the empirical facts, to establish a causal link from employment stability to wealth accumulation, and to quantify the drivers of the underlying mechanism. Our results support an important role of labor market heterogeneity to account for differences in wealth accumulation in financial markets.
More about the speaker
The seminar takes place at the Stockholm School of Economics, Bertil Ohlins gata 4. Room A750
Please contact kathrine.abelson@hhs.se if you have any questions.