Long-run effects of career interruptions : a micro-simulation study

This paper provides a micro-simulation study on the long-run effects of career interruptions in Germany, extending earlier work which generally only focuses on the first few years after an interruption. Using data of the German Socio-Economic Panel, it finds that career interruptions will, for the average individual, have lifelong effects on incomes and labor-force participation. It quantifies these effects for the average affected individual as well as on the entire society and therefore provides additional information on the total cost of career interruptions.