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Title: |
Changes in Employment and Hours, and Family Income Inequality in the
U.S., 1969-1989 |
| Author: |
Lee, Chulhee |
| Author
Affiliation: |
Seoul National
U |
| Source: |
International Economic Journal, Summer 2001, v. 15, no. 2, pp. 27-49 |
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Publication Date: |
Summer 2001 |
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Abstract: |
This paper estimates how much changes in
employment and hours worked for family heads and spouses contributed to
the rise in the family income inequality between 1969 and 1989. Change
in labor market activity of family heads accounts for half of the
increase in the income gap between the top and bottom 10th families. The
effect of change in work effort on the income inequality is considerably
weaker where four-fifths of families in the middle of income
distribution are considered. This result is robust to changes in the
selection of the population. The rise in the inequality of labor market
activity occurred largely within families headed by prime-age men. The
rise in the percentage of families headed by female and the decline in
employment rate for older family heads are relatively minor factors. |
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