Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/130309 
Year of Publication: 
2016
Series/Report no.: 
IZA Discussion Papers No. 9627
Publisher: 
Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA), Bonn
Abstract: 
Active Labour Market Policies often exclusively target towards the long-term unemployed. Although it might be more efficient to intervene earlier in order to prevent long-term unemployment rather than to cure it, the climate of austerity in Eurozone countries is spreading a tendency to further reduce the basic counselling for those who become unemployed. This study investigates the impact on employment chances of a relatively light and inexpensive programme that is offered right after the start of the unemployment spell. It comprises of a collective information session followed by a short one-on-one interview. In a field experiment carried out with an employment office in Flanders, a random selection of clients (the treatment group) were invited to the programme within one month after being enrolled as unemployed, while the control group were scheduled to have the information session five months after becoming unemployed. We find a substantial intention- to-treat effect in the first four months after the start of the unemployment spell, and the early intervention seems especially beneficial for those with low education.
Subjects: 
Active Labour Market Policies
unemployment
nudging
natural field
JEL: 
D04
D61
J64
J68
Document Type: 
Working Paper

Files in This Item:
File
Size
155.28 kB





Items in EconStor are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.