This paper uses micro data from a random survey carried out in the region of Quebec City, Canada, to estimate a model of labor supply in the underground economy. The model assumes that the individual's gross wage rate in the regular sector is parametric while his gross labor earnings in the...

This paper uses micro data from a random survey carried out in the region of Quebec City, Canada, to estimate a model of labor supply in the underground economy. The model assumes that the individual's gross wage rate in the regular sector is parametric while his gross labor earnings in the...

This paper uses micro data from a randomized survey carried out in the metropolitan area of Quebec City, Canada, to analyze the decision to evade taxes and work in the 'underground' economy. The results indicate that taxes distort labor-market activities away from the regular sector to the...

Qui a les moyens d'engager un travailleur de la construction pour faire rénover sa cuisine ou réparer son toit, de le payer au taux officiel et d'ajouter TPS et TVQ ?Qui a déjà résisté à l'offre de rémunérer à un prix raisonnable un service en payant « sous la table » ? Qui n'a...

The paper reviews recent developments in the literature on wage inequality, with a particular focus on why inequality growth has been particularly concentrated in the top end of the wage distribution over the last 15 years. Several possible institutional and demand-side explanations are...

The paper presents descriptive evidence from quantile regressions and more "structural" estimates from a human capital model with heterogenous returns to show that most of the increase in wage inequality between 1973 and 2005 is due to a dramatic increase in the return to post-secondary...