Research


Retirement, Retention, Recruitment: Evidence from a Federal Pension Policy

Revise and Resubmit, Labour Economics

Click to view abstract

I exploit a policy change for U.S. federal workers’ pension benefits to estimate the effect of pension generosity on worker retirement, retention, and recruitment. The policy increased pensions by 16-25%. I find there is a 30.3% decrease in job quits for permanent workers. However, there is little evidence that pension generosity has an effect on new hires. This suggests salience may play a role in how workers value pensions. Additionally, I find a large heterogeneous labor supply response to pension generosity. Altogether, this shows that pension generosity is effective in retaining workers and may have important implications for workforce planning.

Pension Labor Outcomes

Rehabilitating Delinquent Digital Borrowers (with Alfredo Burlando, Silvia Prina, and Michael Kuhn)

Under Review


Disability-Based Affirmative Action: How Federal Agencies Satisfied Federal Mandates (with Glen Waddell)


Selection Into Motorcycling: What Can Licensing Laws Tell Us?
(with Glen Waddell)


Media


News

Alaskans backed a measure to raise the minimum wage and establish sick leave. Now employers are trying to make it work.

Disparaging dismissals aside, Alaska’s fired federal workers file for unemployment

At least 138 fired federal employees have applied for unemployment insurance in Alaska


Expert Testimony

Economic Contributions of Federal Civilian Workers in Alaska


Podcasts

Brock Wilson, PhD: Labor Economist at UAA’s Institute of Social & Economic Research (ISER)