Germany, as most other European countries, has been plagued by a persistently high level of long-term unemployment … since the early 1980's. In contrast, long-term unemployment is much less of a problem in the United States. One potential … reason for the different structure of unemployment relates to institutional differences in unemployment compensation systems …

The systematic use of experience rating is an original feature of the U.S. unemployment benefit system. In most states …, unemployment benefits are financed by taxing firms in proportion to their separations. Experience rating is a way to require … employers to contribute to the payment of unemployment benefits they create through their firing decisions. It is striking that …