The evolution of the Unemployment Insurance Programme since 1940 has led to the abandonment of the intended insurance nature of the programme. As a result, it can no longer be considered solely an income protection scheme. Rather, it has evolved into an income maintenance plan aimed at supplementing the income of seasonal workers in high unemployment regions. As a consequence, there has been an interprovincial transfer of unemployment insurance funds from low to high unemployment regions. The regional characteristics of the programme have also distorted the structure of labour markets in high unemployment regions by attracting workers in seasonal industries therefore maintaining unemployment rates high.

Income support programs constitute an integral component of modern labour markets and represent significant fiscal commitments on the part of governments. This thesis examines two key income support programs in Canada and their impact on labour market outcomes, namely employment insurance (EI) and social assistance (SA). Together expenditures on EI and SA represented approximately 2 per cent of Canadian GDP in 1998-99 and influenced a range of labour market decisions relating to labour force participation, employment and unemployment spells. The analysis in this thesis provides new evidence on the role of the EI and SA programs on labour market outcomes by examining the interface between the programs and labour market behaviour. An analysis of the take-up of SA amongst a sample of SA eligible individuals is also undertaken that provides new evidence on the determinants of participation in the SA program in Canada. The analysis in this thesis uses the 1997 Canadian Out of Employment Panel dataset, a unique dataset that provides detailed information on the use of income support programs and employment patterns, and detailed information on a rich set of personal and household characteristics. The approach adopted in this thesis is to use a generalized probability transition model to examine the nature of the interface between income support programs and their effect on labour market outcomes. This approach allows the implications of changes in either program for use of the other program, and overall labour market outcomes, to be identified. The analysis of the SA take-up decision uses a discrete choice framework that explicitly takes account of the potential endogeneity of benefit levels available to the individual. A number of conclusions can be drawn from the analysis undertaken in this thesis. First, when the generosity of the SA program is reduced, individuals decrease use of both the SA and EI programs. Conversely, reducing the generosity of the EI program results in an increase in the use, albeit relatively small, of the SA program. The results of the analysis of the take-up decision of the SA program point to the key role of benefit levels and previous use of the program as determinants of the likelihood that an individual takes up SA.

The study aims to investigate the current perceptions of the Unemployment Insurance Fund (UIP) for domestic workers in a township called KwaNdengezi, a Durban Metro area, Pretoria section. The study used qualitative research methods to gather and interpret data. A sample consisting of 13 domestic workers, 10 employers of domestic workers, Department of Labour (UIF official) and representative from the South African Domestic and Allied Workers Union (SADAWU) were interviewed. The study found that there are negative perceptions about the policy due to the fact that people (employers and domestic workers) do not understand the policy objectives and how the policy tries to meet these objectives. The study also found that SADAWU was participated in setting the agenda for policy by identifying the problems of domestic workers and petitioning government to address them. Lastly, the study highlighted that the main problem with the implementation of the policy was that it was not communicated clearly enough which has led to many misinterpretations of the policy. / Thesis (M.Soc.Sc.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Pietermaritzburg, 2004.

The fraud prevention measures in Unemployment Insurance Fund, North West Province, were evaluated in this study. The manual on fraud prevention measures was formulated and started implementation in 2000, and since !hen, no review was made. Different literature was reviewed to find out what other researchers say about the related problem. In reviewing literature, it was found out that fraud had an adverse effect in any business, and the best way to combat or prevent it, was to formulate and implement some preventative measures, monitor and review them at least annually. Data gathering was conducted by distributing questionnaires to different staff of Unemployment Insurance Fund throughout the North West province. The questionnaires were aimed at identifying the most vulnerable areas to fraud, evaluating the effectiveness of fraud prevention measures, identifying different types and causes of fraud and finding out whether contributors and their employers are well informed about the Unemployment Insurance Fund. The study found that the existing fraud prevention measures were not quite effective in the sense that they are reactive than preventive according to the respondents. Claims, accounts and registry sections were identified as the most vulnerable sections. The most prevalent types of frau din the UJF were found to he cheque, cash, and identity frauds, The study again found the main causes of fraud in UIF are ineffective internal controls, lack of strict supervision, income disparities and low salaries of lower level employees. It also came to light on the study that there has not been any significant change in fraud since the year 2000 after the formulation and implementation of fraud prevention measures among the ways to reduce fraud as suggested by the employees are salary review, constant supervision, intensive investigations and awareness campaigns what is essential to effectively reduce the level of fraud in the UIF is effective implementation of the preventive oriented internal controls coupled with strict supervision. / Thesis (MBA) North-West University, Mafikeng Campus, 2004

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of Texas at Austin, 2007. / Vita. Includes bibliographical references.

This DPhil thesis is a collection of three theoretical and empirical papers studying labor markets in several advanced economies. Two chapters examine the relationship between the banking sector and the labor market in the US and the UK, while one evaluates a policy that has been proposed to help labor markets in the Euro Area adjust to economic shocks. In the first chapter, I develop a New Keynesian DSGE model that integrates a banking sector subject to moral hazard with a standard random search model of the labor market. I estimate the model using US data and study the role of the banking sector in determining labor market fluctuations. In the second chapter, I estimate a structural VAR model of the UK and US economies and identify bank lending shocks using a mix of sign and short-run exclusion restrictions. Consistent with the predictions of the DSGE model, an expansionary loan supply shock decreases job-destruction and increases job-creation, reducing the unemployment rate persistently. Bank lending shocks are also important drivers of labor market fluctuations, particularly during the Great Recession. Lastly, in the third chapter, I calibrate to the Euro Area a currency union DSGE model to evaluate the aggregate properties of European Unemployment Insurance (EUI). I find that EUI cannot contemporaneously stabilize the monetary union and achieve convergence in regional unemployment and inflation rates.

A presente tese de doutorado estuda duas questões referentes ao programa brasileiro de Seguro Desemprego: o impacto do benefício sobre o salário de reinserção dos trabalhadores beneficiados, bem como sobre o tempo de procura por emprego. No primeiro ensaio são apresentados alguns fatos estilizados referente ao problema de pesquisa, entre os quais destacam-se: i) Descrição Jurídica e os principais objetivos do Programa brasileiro de Seguro Desemprego; ii) O Status Quo do Programa Seguro Desemprego; iii) O Perfil do Trabalhador Beneficiado pelo Programa; iv) Salário de reinserção de trabalhadores contemplados e não contemplados pelo programa (2006-2009) com tempo de permanência no trabalho anterior entre um mês e onze meses; e v) Procura por emprego de trabalhadores contemplados e não contemplados pelo programa (2006-2010) com tempo de permanência no trabalho anterior entre um mês e onze meses. No segundo ensaio, avalia-se o impacto do benefício Seguro Desemprego sobre o salário de reinserção de seu público alvo, utilizando-se as Teorias de Job Search e do Capital Humano. Na estratégia empírica, utilizaram-se informações da Pesquisa Nacional por Amostra de Domicílio - PNAD no período de 2006 a 2009, bem como o método de regressão com descontinuidade. Os resultados indicaram que para o período avaliado, o programa de Seguro Desemprego vai de encontro com as teorias, visto que não se mostrou estatisticamente significativo para influenciar o salário de reinserção dos beneficiados. No terceiro ensaio, destaca-se o impacto do benefício sobre o tempo de procura por trabalho, utilizando-se como referenciais teóricos os modelos de assimetria de informação, mais especificamente o modelo de Moral Hazard. Para análise empírica da presença do risco moral no programa, foram utilizadas informações da Pesquisa de Emprego e Desemprego - PED, no período de 2006 a 2010, e as estimativas baseadas no método de regressão com descontinuidade. Os resultados indicaram que o programa Seguro Desemprego influenciou a procura por emprego dos trabalhadores chefes de família e também dos considerados filhos. Portanto, no período avaliado, constata-se que a procura por trabalho foi realizada de modo menos intensivo pelos chefes de família e jovens que receberam o benefício, e pela inexistência de instrumentos de controle da procura por emprego por parte do Governo, a presença do risco moral acabou configurando-se no grupo de trabalhadores avaliados. / This doctoral thesis studies two issues of the Brazilian Unemployment Insurance program: the impact of the benefit on the reemployment wage of beneficiaries, as well as, job search time for reemployment. In the first test, some stylized facts regarding the research problem are presented, among which we highlight: i) Legal description and key objectives of the Brazilian Unemployment Insurance program; ii) The Status Quo of the Unemployment Insurance program; iii) Profile of the workers who benefit through the program; iv) Reemployment wage of workers, covered and not covered by the (2006-2009) program, who worked between one and eleven months in their previous job; and v) job search of workers, covered and not covered by the (2006-2010) program. The second test assesses the impact of the Unemployment Insurance benefit on the reemployment wage, using the Job Search and Human Capital theories. In the empirical strategies, the National Survey by Household Sampling – (PNAD) information, during the 2006 to 2009 period was used plus the regression discontinuity method. The results indicated that, for the evaluated period, the Unemployment Insurance program meets the theories, since it was not statistically significant in influencing the beneficiaries’ reemployment wage benefit. The third test highlights the impact of the benefit on job hunting time, using as theoretical reference the information asymmetry model, more specifically the Moral Hazard model. For the empirical analysis of the presence of moral hazard in the program, we used information from the Job and Unemployment Research (PED), during the 2006-2010 period and estimates were based on the regression discontinuity method. The results indicated that the Unemployment Insurance program influenced the search for work or job hunting of household heads and, also those considered children. Therefore, it is noted that the demand for work during the evaluated period, was performed in a less intensive manner by family heads and young people who receive the benefit and, given the absence of Government job search control methods, the presence of moral hazard eventually settled on the Group of workers assessed.

Unemployment in Austria has been considerably low in the past decades compared to other European countries. Nevertheless, recent increases in the past five years started a controversial discussion about the generous unemployment insurance system in place. The current government, therefore, argues to change the insurance system similar to the German HARTZ IV reform, although the effects on unemployment have proven to be ambiguous in Germany. I introduce a discrete time life-cycle model with endogenous job-search effort to inquire the potential effects of such a reform on long- and short-term unemployment, as well as individuals' job-search incentives. Individuals are ex-ante heterogeneous in their labour income possibilities and are subject to exogenous layoffs throughout their life. The model suggests that the proposed reform would reduce long-term unemployment substantially, however, to the cost of a larger amount of short-term unemployment spells and decreased overall welfare. Job-search effort over the whole life-cycle appears to increase, with the largest differences at the end of the life-cycle.

A presente tese de doutorado estuda duas questões referentes ao programa brasileiro de Seguro Desemprego: o impacto do benefício sobre o salário de reinserção dos trabalhadores beneficiados, bem como sobre o tempo de procura por emprego. No primeiro ensaio são apresentados alguns fatos estilizados referente ao problema de pesquisa, entre os quais destacam-se: i) Descrição Jurídica e os principais objetivos do Programa brasileiro de Seguro Desemprego; ii) O Status Quo do Programa Seguro Desemprego; iii) O Perfil do Trabalhador Beneficiado pelo Programa; iv) Salário de reinserção de trabalhadores contemplados e não contemplados pelo programa (2006-2009) com tempo de permanência no trabalho anterior entre um mês e onze meses; e v) Procura por emprego de trabalhadores contemplados e não contemplados pelo programa (2006-2010) com tempo de permanência no trabalho anterior entre um mês e onze meses. No segundo ensaio, avalia-se o impacto do benefício Seguro Desemprego sobre o salário de reinserção de seu público alvo, utilizando-se as Teorias de Job Search e do Capital Humano. Na estratégia empírica, utilizaram-se informações da Pesquisa Nacional por Amostra de Domicílio - PNAD no período de 2006 a 2009, bem como o método de regressão com descontinuidade. Os resultados indicaram que para o período avaliado, o programa de Seguro Desemprego vai de encontro com as teorias, visto que não se mostrou estatisticamente significativo para influenciar o salário de reinserção dos beneficiados. No terceiro ensaio, destaca-se o impacto do benefício sobre o tempo de procura por trabalho, utilizando-se como referenciais teóricos os modelos de assimetria de informação, mais especificamente o modelo de Moral Hazard. Para análise empírica da presença do risco moral no programa, foram utilizadas informações da Pesquisa de Emprego e Desemprego - PED, no período de 2006 a 2010, e as estimativas baseadas no método de regressão com descontinuidade. Os resultados indicaram que o programa Seguro Desemprego influenciou a procura por emprego dos trabalhadores chefes de família e também dos considerados filhos. Portanto, no período avaliado, constata-se que a procura por trabalho foi realizada de modo menos intensivo pelos chefes de família e jovens que receberam o benefício, e pela inexistência de instrumentos de controle da procura por emprego por parte do Governo, a presença do risco moral acabou configurando-se no grupo de trabalhadores avaliados. / This doctoral thesis studies two issues of the Brazilian Unemployment Insurance program: the impact of the benefit on the reemployment wage of beneficiaries, as well as, job search time for reemployment. In the first test, some stylized facts regarding the research problem are presented, among which we highlight: i) Legal description and key objectives of the Brazilian Unemployment Insurance program; ii) The Status Quo of the Unemployment Insurance program; iii) Profile of the workers who benefit through the program; iv) Reemployment wage of workers, covered and not covered by the (2006-2009) program, who worked between one and eleven months in their previous job; and v) job search of workers, covered and not covered by the (2006-2010) program. The second test assesses the impact of the Unemployment Insurance benefit on the reemployment wage, using the Job Search and Human Capital theories. In the empirical strategies, the National Survey by Household Sampling – (PNAD) information, during the 2006 to 2009 period was used plus the regression discontinuity method. The results indicated that, for the evaluated period, the Unemployment Insurance program meets the theories, since it was not statistically significant in influencing the beneficiaries’ reemployment wage benefit. The third test highlights the impact of the benefit on job hunting time, using as theoretical reference the information asymmetry model, more specifically the Moral Hazard model. For the empirical analysis of the presence of moral hazard in the program, we used information from the Job and Unemployment Research (PED), during the 2006-2010 period and estimates were based on the regression discontinuity method. The results indicated that the Unemployment Insurance program influenced the search for work or job hunting of household heads and, also those considered children. Therefore, it is noted that the demand for work during the evaluated period, was performed in a less intensive manner by family heads and young people who receive the benefit and, given the absence of Government job search control methods, the presence of moral hazard eventually settled on the Group of workers assessed.

nÃo hà / Este estudo investigou a implantaÃÃo e atuaÃÃo do Sistema de Monitoramento e AvaliaÃÃo do Programa Seguro-Desemprego na geraÃÃo de informaÃÃes articuladas com a gestÃo do programa. Sabe-se que a avaliaÃÃo sistemÃtica, contÃnua e eficaz surge como ferramenta gerencial poderosa, fornecendo aos formuladores de polÃticas pÃblicas e aos gestores de programas condiÃÃes para aumentar a eficiÃncia e a efetividade dos recursos aplicados em aÃÃes sociais. Todavia, faz-se necessÃrio avanÃar na teorizaÃÃo da prÃtica e buscar os consensos necessÃrios à constituiÃÃo de um encadeamento lÃgico do programa, que leve à elaboraÃÃo de instrumentos e procedimentos de mensuraÃÃo e observaÃÃo das suas atividades, resultados e impactos. Este estudo traz o seu mÃrito jà em sua concepÃÃo, pois percebeu que a Universidade, por meio da pesquisa, em termos prÃticos, pode e deve contribuir para aumentar a produtividade e a efetividade das organizaÃÃes governamentais e disponibilizar ferramentas, modelos e metodologias que sirvam de referÃncia para a melhoria da gestÃo pÃblica. O trabalho analisou, passo a passo, a construÃÃo do Sistema de Monitoramento e AvaliaÃÃo do Programa Seguro-Desemprego; inicialmente, abordando o contexto no qual se construiu o sistema, as condiÃÃes para sua implantaÃÃo, bem como verificando as concepÃÃes de AvaliaÃÃo e Monitoramento adotadas. Depois, descrevendo o modo como foi feita a estruturaÃÃo da base de dados, a construÃÃo de indicadores e o desenvolvimento das ferramentas informacionais. O ineditismo do trabalho à assegurado em dois sentidos: primeiro, na intenÃÃo de registrar, analisar criticamente e discutir um trabalho de pesquisa avaliativa feito pela prÃpria Universidade. Segundo, porque promoveu uma investigaÃÃo acadÃmica interligada com um projeto de parceria existente entre a Universidade e a AdministraÃÃo PÃblica, que se encontra ainda em desenvolvimento. No campo metodolÃgico, utilizou-se a abordagem qualitativa, empregando-se a tÃcnica de estudo de caso, valendo-se ainda da pesquisa bibliogrÃfica e documental para o embasamento teÃrico e exploraÃÃo do tema. No referencial teÃrico, para tratar acerca da avaliaÃÃo de programas pÃblicos e do Programa do Seguro-Desemprego, contou-se com as contribuiÃÃes de autores como: Arretche (2003); Belloni (2000); Chahad (1986, 2002); Cohen e Franco (2012); Cotta (1998); Jannuzzi (2014); Rua (2007); Santos (2012); Secchi (2010); Silva (2000); Talmage (1982); Weiss (1982a, 1982b); Worthen, Sanders e Fitzpatrick (2004); Zylberstajn e Balbinotto (2000), dentre outros. No arcabouÃo teÃrico, o trabalho teceu consideraÃÃes acerca da evoluÃÃo da avaliaÃÃo de programas, tratou dos aspectos histÃricos, legais e contextuais do Programa Seguro-Desemprego e caracterizou o Sistema de Monitoramento e AvaliaÃÃo do referido programa, que està sendo desenvolvido com o apoio tÃcnico da Universidade Federal do CearÃ. Para a discussÃo e anÃlise dos dados, foi adotado o mÃtodo da anÃlise de conteÃdo (BARDIN, 2011). A anÃlise dos dados refere-se Ãs etapas de implantaÃÃo e atuaÃÃo do Sistema de Monitoramento e AvaliaÃÃo no perÃodo de 2012 a 2014. As principais conclusÃes apontam para a perspectiva de que o Sistema de Monitoramento e AvaliaÃÃo do Programa Seguro-Desemprego, uma vez que contribui para o processo decisÃrio e para o aprimoramento das dimensÃes tÃcnicas, administrativas e polÃticas, passe a ser definido como instrumento institucional e adequado para agregar conhecimento e aperfeiÃoar o programa, bem como para redirecionar seus objetivos, quando necessÃrio, ou mesmo para reformular suas propostas e atividades. / This study investigated the implementation and performance of the Monitoring and Evaluation System â SMA of Unemployment Insurance Program â PSD in information developing articulated with the program management. It is known that the systematic, continuous and effective assessment emerges as a powerful management tool, providing to public political makers and program managers conditions to increase efficiency and effectiveness of the resources invested in social actions. However, it is necessary to advance in theorization of the practice and seek the necessary consensus to establishment of a logical sequence of the program which leads to the development of instruments and measurement procedures and observe their activities, results and impacts. This study already brings its merit in its conception because it realized that the University, through research and in practical terms, can and should contribute to increase the productivity and effectiveness of government organizations and provide tools, models and methodologies to serve as reference to the improvement of public administration. The work analyzed, step by step, the construction of SMA of PSD, initially, dealing with the context in which the system was built, the conditions for its implementation, as well as checking the concepts of Monitoring and Evaluation adopted. After, describing how the structure of the database was made, building indicators and the development of information tools. The originality of the work is handled in two ways: first, intention to record, analyze critically and discuss an evaluate research work done by the University. Second, because it promoted academic research connected with an existing partnership project between the University and the Public Administration, which is still in development. In the methodological field, it was done a qualitative approach, using the case study technique, making use also of bibliographic and documentary research to the theoretical background and exploration of the theme. In the theoretical referential to deal with on the assessment of public programs and the Unemployment Insurance Program, included contributions from authors such as: Arretche (2003); Belloni (2000); Chahad (1986, 2002); Cohen and Franco (2012); Cotta (1998); Jannuzzi (2014); Street (2007); Santos (2012); Secchi (2010); Silva (2000); Talmage (1982); Weiss (1982a, 1982b); Worthen, Sanders and Fitzpatrick (2004); Zylberstajn and Balbinotto (2000), among others. In the theoretical reference, the study made comments about the development of program evaluation, has dealt historical, legal and contextual aspects of the PSD and the PSD characterized the SMA, which is being developed with technical support from Federal University of CearÃ. For a discussion and analysis of data, it was adopted the method of content analysis (BARDIN, 2011). Data analysis refers to SMA performing and establishing steps in the period 2012 to 2014. The main conclusions point to the prospect that the Monitoring System and PSD evaluation contribute to the decision making process and the improvement of technical, administrative and political dimensions will be defined as an institutional instrument and appropriate to add knowledge and improve the program, as well as redirect its goals, when necessary or even to reformulate its proposal and activities.