American Economic Journal:
Applied Economics
ISSN 1945-7782 (Print) | ISSN 1945-7790 (Online)
Teaching Labor Laws: Evidence from a Randomized Control Trial in South Africa
American Economic Journal: Applied Economics
vol. 13,
no. 4, October 2021
(pp. 125–49)
Abstract
We assess whether imperfect knowledge of labor regulation hinders job creation at small and medium-sized firms. We partner with a labor law expert organization that provides information about labor regulation via newsletters and access to a specialized website. We randomly assign 1,800 firms to get access to this service for a 21-week period. Six months later, the average employment level at treatment firms was 12 percent higher than at control firms. The intervention decreased the perception that labor regulation is a constraint to hiring and increased optimal employment level.Citation
Bertrand, Marianne, and Bruno Crépon. 2021. "Teaching Labor Laws: Evidence from a Randomized Control Trial in South Africa." American Economic Journal: Applied Economics 13 (4): 125–49. DOI: 10.1257/app.20190497Additional Materials
JEL Classification
- D22 Firm Behavior: Empirical Analysis
- D83 Search; Learning; Information and Knowledge; Communication; Belief; Unawareness
- J23 Labor Demand
- J63 Labor Turnover; Vacancies; Layoffs
- K31 Labor Law
- L25 Firm Performance: Size, Diversification, and Scope
- O15 Economic Development: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration