This paper analyses events that trigger the establishment of a works council and the actor or agent who triggers it. The paper extends previous research in two dimensions. First, we examine specific events that motivate workers to establish a works council, such as a change of owner, founding a...

The German Codetermination Law grants workers of establishments with 200 or more employees the right to have a works councillor fully exempted from his regular job while still being paid his regular salary. We analyze theoretically and empirically how this de jure right to paid leave of absence...

This study provides the first econometric analysis on the dynamic dimension of establishment-level codetermination in Germany. We hypothesize that learning implies a change in the nature and scope of codetermination over time. Using unique data from small- and medium-sized establishments, our...

Das Betriebsverfassungsgesetz (BetrVG) ermöglicht in Betrieben mit mehr als 200 Mitarbeitern die vollständige Freistellung eines Mitgliedes des Betriebsrates. Dieses Papier analysiert, wie die im BetrVG vorgesehene Freistellung eines Betriebsratsmitgliedes tatsächlich in Betrieben umgesetzt...