ECON 209
Labor Economics and Policy
Last Offered Spring 2018
Division II
This course is not offered in the current catalog

Employment–finding it (or looking for but not finding it), its compensation, and the conditions under which it occurs–is a key concern for most residents of advanced economies throughout their adult lives. Work is the main source of income for the vast majority of working-age adults in these economies, and work-related issues and policies reliably top national policy agendas. Labor economics is the study of these issues–how the level and distribution of skills, wages, employment, and income are determined in the market for labor and how various policies affect this market and its outcomes. In this course we will apply the tools of microeconomics to analyze labor force participation, the allocation of time to market work, migration, labor demand, investment in human capital (education and on-the-job training), discrimination, unions and unemployment. We will also examine the impact of government programs and mandates such as employment-based tax credits, unemployment insurance, antipoverty programs, and minimum wages on the labor market. We will devote particular attention to topics of current U.S. policy interest, including immigration, income inequality, and education.