Working Paper: CEPR ID: DP7166
Authors: Michael C. Burda; Daniel S. Hamermesh
Abstract: Using time-diary data from four countries we show that the unemployed spend most of the time not working for pay in additional leisure and personal maintenance, not in increased household production. There is no relation between unemployment duration and the split of time between household production and leisure. U.S. data for 2003-2006 show that almost none of the lower amount of market work in areas of long-term high unemployment is offset by additional household production. In contrast, in those areas where unemployment has risen cyclically reduced market work is made up almost entirely by additional time spent in household production.
Keywords: household production; paid work; time use; unemployment
JEL Codes: D13; E24; J22
Edges that are evidenced by causal inference methods are in orange, and the rest are in light blue.
| Cause | Effect |
|---|---|
| Unemployment (J64) | Decreased Market Work (J29) |
| Unemployment (J64) | Increased Leisure and Personal Maintenance (D13) |
| Decreased Market Work (J29) | Decreased Household Production (D13) |
| Cyclical Unemployment (J64) | Increased Household Production (D13) |
| Unemployment Duration (J64) | Household Production (D13) |