Inequality in the Spanish Labor Market During the COVID-19 Crisis

January 28, 2022

Preview Citation

Format: Chicago

Ana Lariau, and Lucy Qian Liu. Inequality in the Spanish Labor Market During the COVID-19 Crisis, (USA: International Monetary Fund, 2022) accessed December 21, 2024

Disclaimer: IMF Working Papers describe research in progress by the author(s) and are published to elicit comments and to encourage debate. The views expressed in IMF Working Papers are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the views of the IMF, its Executive Board, or IMF management.

Summary

We analyze the differential impact of the COVID-19 crisis on the Spanish labor market across population groups, as well as its implications for income inequality. The main finding is that young, less educated, and low skilled workers, as well as women are the most affected by the COVID-19 shock in terms of job loss rates. The differential impacts were especially acute at the height of the pandemic in 2020 and remain robust after taking into account the heterogeneity of sector characteristics. Given that these vulnerable groups were positioned in the lower end of the income distribution before the crisis, we hypothesize that income inequality likely has increased due to the pandemic. Policies aiming at reducing inequality in the labor market need to go beyond measures that target the hardest-hit sectors and support the vulnerable groups more directly.

Subject: COVID-19, Health, Income distribution, Income inequality, Labor, Labor markets, National accounts, Unemployment

Keywords: COVID-19, COVID-19 pandemic, Differential effect, Differential impact, Europe, Income distribution, Income inequality, Inequality, Job retention schemes, Labor market, Labor market differential effect, Labor market outcome, Labor markets, Spain, Temporary contract, Unemployment

Publication Details

Pages:

27
Volume:

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DOI:

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Issue:

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Series:

Working Paper No. 2022/018
Stock No:

WPIEA2022018
ISBN:

9798400201059
ISSN:

1018-5941

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