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Job Stability, Earnings Dynamics, and Life-Cycle Savings

Author

Listed:
  • Kuhn, Moritz

    (University of Mannheim)

  • Ploj, Gasper

    (University of Bonn)

Abstract
Labor markets are characterized by large heterogeneity in job stability. Some workers hold lifetime jobs, whereas others cycle repeatedly in and out of employment. This paper explores the economic consequences of such heterogeneity. Using Survey of Consumer Finances (SCF) data, we document a systematic positive relationship between job stability and wealth accumulation. Per dollar of income, workers with more stable careers hold more wealth. We also develop a life-cycle consumption-saving model with heterogeneity in job stability that is jointly consistent with empirical labor market mobility, earnings, consumption, and wealth dynamics. Using the structural model, we explore the consequences of heterogeneity in job stability at the individual and macroeconomic level. At the individual level, we find that a bad start to the labor market leaves long-lasting scars. The income and consumption level for a worker who starts working life from an unstable job is, even 25 years later, 5 percent lower than that of a worker who starts with a stable job. For the macroeconomy, we find welfare gains of 1.6 percent of lifetime consumption for labor market entrants from a secular decline in U.S. labor market dynamism.

Suggested Citation

  • Kuhn, Moritz & Ploj, Gasper, 2020. "Job Stability, Earnings Dynamics, and Life-Cycle Savings," IZA Discussion Papers 13887, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp13887
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Moritz Kuhn & Iourii Manovskii & Xincheng Qiu, 2021. "The Geography of Job Creation and Job Destruction," NBER Working Papers 29399, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    2. Kishor, N. Kundan & Konkel, Rebecca & Yoon, Jangsu & Zhao, Tian, 2023. "Bridging the racial disparity in wealth creation in Milwaukee," MPRA Paper 117686, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    3. Fabian Kindermann & Veronika Püschel, 2021. "Progressive Pensions as an Incentive for Labor Force Participation," Working Papers 2021-038, Human Capital and Economic Opportunity Working Group.
    4. Brand, Claus & Obstbaum, Meri & Coenen, Günter & Sondermann, David & Lydon, Reamonn & Ajevskis, Viktors & Hammermann, Felix & Angino, Siria & Hernborg, Nils & Basso, Henrique & Hertweck, Matthias & Bi, 2021. "Employment and the conduct of monetary policy in the euro area," Occasional Paper Series 275, European Central Bank.
    5. Iris Kesternich & Bettina Siflinger & James P. Smith & Franziska Valder, 2022. "Relationship Stability: Evidence from Labor and Marriage Markets," CEBI working paper series 22-20, University of Copenhagen. Department of Economics. The Center for Economic Behavior and Inequality (CEBI).
    6. Arnone, Massimo & Leogrande, Angelo & Costantiello, Alberto & Laureti, Lucio, 2024. "Banking Stability in the ESG Framework Across Italian Regions," MPRA Paper 121452, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    7. Wong, Francis & Kermani, Amir, 2022. "Racial Disparities in Housing Returns," VfS Annual Conference 2022 (Basel): Big Data in Economics 264099, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    employment risk; job stability; consumption-saving behavior;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • J64 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Unemployment: Models, Duration, Incidence, and Job Search
    • E21 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Consumption; Saving; Wealth
    • E24 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Employment; Unemployment; Wages; Intergenerational Income Distribution; Aggregate Human Capital; Aggregate Labor Productivity

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