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Dismissals for cause: The difference that just eight paragraphs can make

Author

Listed:
  • Pedro S. Martins
Abstract
We present evidence about the effects of dismissals-for-cause requirements, a specific component of employment protection legislation that has received little attention. We study a quasi-natural experiment generated by a law introduced in Portugal: out of the 12 paragraphs in the law that dictated the costly procedure required for dismissals for cause, eight did not apply to small firms. Using matched employer-employee longitudinal data and difference-in-differences methods, we examine the impact of that differentiated change in firing costs upon several variables over a long period of time. In our results, we do not find robust evidence of effects on job or worker flows, although some estimates suggest a slight increase in hirings. On the other hand, firms that gain flexibility in their dismissals exhibit consistently slower wage growth and sizeable increases in their relative performance. Our findings suggest that reducing firing costs of the type studied here increase workers' effort and reduce their bargaining power.

Suggested Citation

  • Pedro S. Martins, 2008. "Dismissals for cause: The difference that just eight paragraphs can make," Working Papers 24, Queen Mary, University of London, School of Business and Management, Centre for Globalisation Research.
    • Handle: RePEc:cgs:wpaper:24
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    File URL: http://cgr.sbm.qmul.ac.uk/CGRWP24.pdf
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Employment protection legislation; worker flows; wages; firm performance;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J53 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Labor-Management Relations, Trade Unions, and Collective Bargaining - - - Labor-Management Relations; Industrial Jurisprudence
    • J63 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Turnover; Vacancies; Layoffs
    • J31 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Wage Level and Structure; Wage Differentials

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