Poland on the dole

The effect of reducing the unemployment benefit entitlement period during transition

authored by

Patrick A. Puhani

Abstract

We analyse the unemployment benefit regime change that occurred in Poland in December 1991 using data from the Polish Labour Force Survey. Before December 1991, the entitlement period to unemployment benefits was unlimited. Thereafter, it was reduced to 12 months (with a few exceptions). Using the difference-in-differences approach within a hazard rate framework, we find that the regime change did not have a significant effect on the duration of unemployment. The results thus give credence to the view that the unlimited entitlement period of the old unemployment benefit regime was not the main culprit for the long durations of unemployment in Poland, although the generous eligibility criteria may have contributed to the increase in the incidence of registered unemployment at the beginning of the transition process.

External Organisation(s)

Centre for European Economic Research (ZEW)

Type

Article

Journal

Journal of population economics

Volume

13

Pages

35-44

No. of pages

10

ISSN

0933-1433

Publication date

03.2000

Publication status

Published

Peer reviewed

Yes

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Demography, Economics and Econometrics

Sustainable Development Goals

SDG 8 - Decent Work and Economic Growth

Electronic version(s)

https://doi.org/10.1007/s001480050121 (Access: Closed)