In order to alleviate unemployment it is often recommended to reduce social security contributions (SSC) and to compensate for the ensuing loss in revenues by a rise in the value-added tax (VAT). Assuming unemployment to be caused by efficiency wages, it is shown that a balanced-budget shift...

In an efficiency wage economy with variable profits, a shift from payroll to employment taxes will reduce unemployment if the tax level is held constant at the initial wage. However, unemployment will rise if firms are constrained to zero profits in the long-run and if tax revenues are constant....

Redundany payments for collective dismissals are incorporated into a Shapiro-Stiglitz model of efficiency wages. it is shown, that a fixed payment will lower wages, leave employment and welfare unaffected if there are no wage-dependent taxes, no additionalfiring costs and if unemployment...