This paper uses survey panel data to look at transition probabilities at the bottom of the Italian earnings distribution. The econometric analysis is characterized by a proper treatment of the initial conditions problem and by the investigation of genuine state dependence, the extent with which...

Statements by high-profile political figures and supporting academic research have led to a common perception of worsening job prospects for low-wage workers in the US. In this paper, we show that since the early 1980s there has been a decline in the share of workers earning low wages. This...