Laws in most West European countries give workers strong job rights, including the right to advance notice of layoff and the right to severance pay or other compensation if laid off. Many of these same countries also encourage hours adjustment in lieu of layoffs by providing prorated...

In this paper, we look at the pace at which firms adjust their employment levels as a measure of “microeconomic flexibility.” Flexibility aids in creative destruction processes,where less efficient establishments recede and dynamic firms can rapidly expand. Following the techniques used by...

In this paper, we look at the pace at which firms adjust their employment levels as a measure of “microeconomic flexibility.” Flexibility aids in creative destruction processes,where less efficient establishments recede and dynamic firms can rapidly expand. Following the techniques used by...