A Macroeconomic Approach to Optimal Unemployment Insurance: Theory
Camille Landais, Pascal Michaillat, Emmanuel Saez
American Economic Journal: Economic Policy
volume 10 · issue 2 · pages 152–181
https://doi.org/10.1257/pol.20150088
May 2018
American Economic Journal: Economic Policy
volume 10 · issue 2 · pages 152–181
https://doi.org/10.1257/pol.20150088
May 2018
abstract · This paper develops a theory of optimal unemployment insurance (UI) in matching models. The optimal UI replacement rate is the conventional Baily-Chetty replacement rate, which solves the tradeoff between insurance and job-search incentives, plus a correction term, which is positive when an increase in UI pushes the labor market tightness toward its efficient level. In matching models, most wage mechanisms do not ensure efficiency, so tightness is generally inefficient. The effect of UI on tightness depends on the model: increasing UI may raise tightness by alleviating the rat race for jobs or lower tightness by increasing wages through bargaining.