This paper examines the role of social assistance payments (SAP or Sozialhilfe) in determining levels of life satisfaction in Germany using the SOEP 1995-2004. We find strong evidence that individuals in Germany are negatively influenced by increased SAP payments controlling for income, whether...

This study analyzes employers' support for the introduction of minimum wages in order to improve their competitive position. Using a unique data set consisting of 800 firms in eight industries in the German service sector, we find some evidence that high-productivity employers support minimum...

Economic conditions at the time of labour market entry can induce wage differentials between workers entering the labour market at different points in time. While there exists much empirical evidence on the existence and persistence of the effects of labour market entry conditions, little is...

This paper investigates the transferability of human capital across countries and the contribution of imperfect human capital portability to the explanation of the immigrant-native wage gap. Using data for West Germany, our results reveal that, overall, education and labor market experience...

The Fukushima Daiichi accident in Japan in March 2011 caused a fundamental change in Germanys energy policy which led to the immediate shut down of nearly half of its nuclear power plants. Using data from Germanys largest internet platform for real estate and employing a...