OECD Economics Department Working Papers

ISSN :
1815-1973 (online)
DOI :
10.1787/18151973
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Working papers from the Economics Department of the OECD that cover the full range of the Department’s work including the economic situation, policy analysis and projections; fiscal policy, public expenditure and taxation; and structural issues including ageing, growth and productivity, migration, environment, human capital, housing, trade and investment, labour markets, regulatory reform, competition, health, and other issues.
 

The German Labour Market

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Authors:
Felix Hüfner1, Caroline Klein1
Author Affiliations
  • 1: OECD, France

Publication Date
13 Sep 2012
Bibliographic information
No.:
983
Pages
48
DOI
10.1787/5k92sn01tzzv-en

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The strength of the German labour market response to the financial crisis of 2008-09 demonstrated the benefits of past labour market reforms, which raised work incentives, improved job matching and increased working hour flexibility. Going forward, the government should build on this success and address the remaining challenges which include raising the labour participation of females and older workers (which among other things will necessitate adjustments to the tax and education system) and fostering migration, notably of skilled workers. The significant ageing-related decline in the labour force exemplifies the urgency of further structural reforms in this area. This Working Paper relates to the 2012 Economic Survey of Germany, www.oecd.org/eco/surveys/germany.
Keywords:
female employment, migration, unemployment, labour force participation rates, Germany, labour shortages, older workers
JEL Classification:
  • J11: Labor and Demographic Economics / Demographic Economics / Demographic Trends, Macroeconomic Effects, and Forecasts
  • J21: Labor and Demographic Economics / Demand and Supply of Labor / Labor Force and Employment, Size, and Structure
  • J22: Labor and Demographic Economics / Demand and Supply of Labor / Time Allocation and Labor Supply
  • J24: Labor and Demographic Economics / Demand and Supply of Labor / Human Capital; Skills; Occupational Choice; Labor Productivity
  • J26: Labor and Demographic Economics / Demand and Supply of Labor / Retirement; Retirement Policies
  • J61: Labor and Demographic Economics / Mobility, Unemployment, and Vacancies / Geographic Labor Mobility; Immigrant Workers
  • J63: Labor and Demographic Economics / Mobility, Unemployment, and Vacancies / Turnover; Vacancies; Layoffs