JMP! Unequal Access: How Public Library Closures Affect Educational Performance - with Gregory Gilpin. Working Paper PDF.
Local public institutions, such as public libraries, offer access to low-cost educational resources, potentially mitigating human capital investment disparities. However, from 2008 to 2019, 766 public library outlets closed across the US, reducing access to these critical resources. This study examines the effect of public library outlet closures on library use and educational outcomes in nearby school districts. Using geolocated data and an event study approach, we find that library use declines by 31-41%, and reading and math scores decline by 0.013 and 0.026 standard deviations, respectively, in nonmetropolitan areas. However, high school graduation rates remain unaffected.
Stepping-Stone, Lock-In, or Last-Resort? The Role of Earnings Exemptions in Unemployment
This paper investigates how unemployed workers use "geringfügige Beschäftigung" (marginal employment), which offers a significant earnings exemption. Using Austrian administrative data from 2009 to 2019, I analyze how marginal employment affects unemployment duration, post-unemployment job stability, and income. Taking into account the timing of marginal employment uptake, I introduce the last-resort hypothesis, suggesting that late entry results from unsuccessful job searches. Considering the possible effects of unemployment duration on the probability to enter marginal employment, I find that marginal employment extends unemployment by approximately 13 days but has a small positive impact on future job stability and income.
Less Work, More Labor: School Closures Due to Covid-19 and Parents’ Work Hours in Austria - with Miriam Rehm. Published in Feminist Economics (2023)
This article explores the gendered impact of school closures on paid work hours during the COVID-19 pandemic in Austria. Using data from the Austrian Corona Panel Project (ACPP) covering generalized school closures from March 2020 to April 2021, the study examines adjustments in work hours by gender and parental status. The descriptive data show general reductions in work time, especially in the first months. From July 2020 onward, however, mothers reduced work hours more than fathers when schools were closed – and they increased time spent on childcare, while fathers reduced theirs. Using OLS and fixed effects models, the study confirms that mothers reduced their work hours during school closures more than any other group. In contrast, fathers reduced their work hours the least – even less than individuals without children. Finally, there is some evidence that school closures capture policy stringency in high-incidence phases of the COVID-19 pandemic.
How the Quality of Long-Term Care Services Impacts Caring Relatives’ Well-Being in Austria - published in Momentum Quarterly (2022)
In a family-centered care regime like the Austrian one, informal caregivers’ well-being is central, especially in times of increased pressure due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This paper analyzes the connection between the quality of long-term care (LTC) services and informal caregivers’ well-being in Austria using a mixed methods approach. First, looking at data from the 2016 European Quality of Life Survey (EQLS), an OLS model shows that where the quality of LTC services is rated higher, individuals report higher life satisfaction, independent of their caring responsibilities. The most important explanatory factor for caregivers’ well-being is the usage of such services. However, it does not offer conclusive insights into how well-being is influenced. Therefore, I undertake a qualitative analysis via an online questionnaire in which 20 informal caregivers participated between March and April 2020. The survey was created using the capabilities approach and evaluated by means of thematic analysis. The main findings show that low-quality LTC services mainly reduce well-being due to the irregularity of said services, which disrupts the daily routine. Highquality LTC services, on the other hand, improve well-being allowing caregivers to share responsibilities.
2024: 39th Annual Conference of the EEA, VfS Jahrestagung 2024, 36th Annual Conference EALE, 37th Annual Conference ESPE, 13th ifo Dresden Workshop on Labor Economics and Social Policy, 17th RGS Doctoral Conference in Economics, BeNA 20-Year Jubilee Conference, 2nd Essex PhD Conference in Applied Economics
2023: Applied Microeconomics Research Seminar @ FU Berlin, Momentum Kongress: Hegemonie
2022: Yale University – Labor/Public Economics Prospectus Workshop, Young Economist Conference, Momentum Kongress: Arbeit
2021: Young Economist Conference 2021 (Eduard März Award for Best Conference Paper), 25th FMM Conference, 33rd Annual EAEPE Conference, 29th IAFFE Annual Conference
Hanzl, L., Wacker, K., Huber, A. & Picek, O. (2021). Steuervermeidung von Konzernen: 734 Millionen Euro sind der Allgemeinheit entgangen. Momentum Institut Policy Brief.
Hanzl, L. & Picek, O. (2020). Langzeitarbeitslosigkeit nähert sich Rekordwert vom Jänner 2017. Momentum Institut Policy Brief.
Schmidt, A. E. & Hanzl, L. (2020). Pflege betrifft uns alle: Zwei Drittel betreuen im Laufe ihres Lebens Angehörige. Momentum Institut Policy Brief.
Hanzl, L., Maschke, A. & Picek, O. (2020). ATX-Konzerne: Mit einem Bein im Steuersumpf?. Momentum Institut Policy Brief.