Research
Job Market Paper
Abstract: This paper examines the spillover effects of mass layoffs on neighboring establishments. Leveraging comprehensive geocoded administrative data encompassing all entities in California, this research examines the indirect effects of mass layoffs on employment, wages, and the dynamics of establishments' entry and exit. I exploit the geographic coordination of establishments to define treatment and control areas based on their proximity to instances of mass layoffs. The findings unveil persistent and adverse spillover effects on local employment levels within these areas four years after the events, coupled with a net decrease in operational establishments. However, there is no significant change in average wages. Furthermore, empirical evidence demonstrates a diminishing spillover impact with increasing spatial separation, with the effect of fading away after 6km. Ultimately, this paper contributes empirical evidence on the mechanisms of agglomeration economies that underlie the spillover effects, with industries closely interlinked to the event establishment exhibiting more pronounced employment loss.
Publications
(with Alex Bell, T.J. Hedin, Peter Mannino, Carl Romer, Geoffrey Schnorr, and Till von Wachter)
American Economic Association Papers & Proceedings, 2022
Abstract: This paper examines the spillover effects of mass layoffs on neighboring establishments, shedding light on the dynamics of agglomeration economies. Leveraging comprehensive administrative data encompassing all entities in California, I study the indirect effects of mass layoffs on employment, earnings, and the number of nearby establishments. I exploit the geographic coordinates of establishments to define treatment and control areas based on their proximity to instances of mass layoffs. The findings reveal persistent and negative spillover effects on local employment levels four years after the events and a net decrease in operating establishments. However, there is no significant change in average earnings of workers. Furthermore, empirical evidence demonstrates that the spillover effects diminish with increasing spatial distance, effectively disappearing after 6km. Ultimately, I show industries closely interlinked to the event establishment exhibit more pronounced employment loss.Â
(with Alex Bell, T.J. Hedin, Peter Mannino, Geoffrey Schnorr, and Till von Wachter)
RSF: The Russel Sage Foundation Journal of the Social Sciences, 2023
Abstract: To what extent did jobless Americans benefit from unemployment insurance (UI) during the COVID-19 pandemic? This article documents geographic disparities in access to UI during 2020. We leverage aggregated and individual-level claims data to perform an integrated analysis across four measures of access to UI. In addition to the traditional UI recipiency rate, we construct rates of application among the unemployed, rates of first payment among applicants, and exhaustion rates among paid claimants. Through correlations across California counties and across states, we show that areas with more disadvantaged residents had less access to UI during the pandemic. Although these disparities are large in magnitude, cross-state analysis suggests that policy can play a salient role in mitigating them.
Policy Research
(with Alex Bell, T.J. Hedin, Peter Mannino, Geoffrey Schnorr, and Till von Wachter)
California Policy Lab Policy Brief, 2020-2023
(with Alex Bell, T.J. Hedin, Peter Mannino, Carl Romer, Geoffrey Schnorr, and Till von Wachter)
California Policy Lab Policy Brief, issued April 2022
(with Alex Bell, T.J. Hedin, Geoffrey Schnorr, and Till von Wachter)
California Policy Lab Policy Brief, issued April 2021
Works in Progress
Spillover Effects of Exposure to Work-from-Home on Non-tradable Industries
Short-Time Compensation in California: An Analysis of Program Incidence and Worker Outcomes
(with Gustavo Rodriguez, Kara Segal, and Till von Wachter)
High Intensity Users of Unemployment Insurance
(with Peter Mannino, and Till von Wachter)
Disparities in Recovery of UI Recipients after the COVID-19 Pandemic
(with Gustavo Rodriguez, Kara Segal and Till von Wachter)