Research

We propose a novel method to elicitit time preferences that is robust to cases where background consumption  and income vary. We validate the method in a field experiment, and show an application using job seekers (for whom income is likely to vary substantially).

How wage announcements affect job search - a field experiment

Joint with Michèle Belot and Philipp Kircher

American Economic Journal: Macroeconomics, 14(4), 2022

By assigning random wages to pairs of otherwise similar job ads, we show that job seekers respond to perceived competition: higher wages attract more interest, but some job seekers prefer the lower wage job.
VoxEU column
We consider the outflow rates from disability insurance: by estimating the response to health recovery we show that awarded DI applicants return to work substantially less than rejected DI applicants.
Using a randomized field experiment, we show that email reminders positively affect members' gym visits. Using detailed booking / canceling data for gym classes, we explore how planning for future gym visits is affected.

Comparing econometric methods to empirically evaluate activation programs for job seekers 

Joint with Bas van der Klaauw and Arjan Heyma

Journal of Applied Econometrics, Volume 35, Issue 5, August 2020

We compare three distinct econometric techniques for estimating the impact of privately provided job search assistance in the Netherlands. We find that exploiting non-experimental variation in program participation leads to results that are (qualitatively) similar to those from evaluating a natural experiment.

Providing advice to job seekers at low cost: An experimental study on online advice 

Joint with Michèle Belot and Philipp Kircher.  

The Review of Economic Studies, Volume 86, Issue 4, July 2019

We develop and evaluate experimentally an online tool that provides occupational advice (based on labor market data) to job seekers. We find that the advice affects participants' job search strategies and improves prospects of job interviews for a subset.
VoxEU column, Microeconomic Insights

Estimating equilibrium effects of job search assistance  

Joint with Pieter Gautier, Bas van der Klaauw, Michael Rosholm, and Michael Svarer 

Journal of Labor Economics, vol 36, No. 4, October 2018

Using data from a Danish field experiment, we show that job search assistance programs may have unintended consequences, by reducing job prospects for job seekers that do not participate.
VoxEU column
Evaluating a large reform in the Netherlands (2005), we show that higher childcare subsidies can increase labor supply of mothers with young children, although the effect is modest relative to the subsidy expenditures.
ESB (in Dutch), CPB Notitie (in Dutch), Volkskrant, AD, 

Discussion papers:

Temporary workers have higher disability risks than permanent workers. We show that in the Netherlands this is not explained by selection or higher risk of illness in temporary jobs. Instead, the difference arises during sickness, as a result of lower employer commitment and lack of labour market opportunities.
ESB (in Dutch)
We insert occupational suggestions into an online job search platform, that is provided to long-term unemployed by a private job search assistance provider. Evaluation through an RCT shows positive impacts on job finding and occupational mobility.

Tax incentives for migrants with mid-level earnings: evidence from the Netherlands

Joint with Lisa Timm and Massimo Giuliodori)

R&R at American Economic Journal: Applied Economics

Migrants moving to the Netherlands for employment enjoy a substantial tax exemption. We show (by considering a reform of the tax rule in 2012) that the exemption strongly increased arriving migrants over the past decade.
ESB (in Dutch)   Discussion in TV-show EenVandaag

Work in progress: