2023 Washington Area Labor Economics Symposium

Copley Formal Lounge

The Georgetown University McCourt School of Public Policy is pleased to host the fifth annual Washington Area Labor Economics Symposium (WALES) on April 28, 2023.

WALES is a one-day labor economics conference bringing together researchers from DC-area institutions. The conference provides an outlet to share recent or ongoing research on a broad range of topics in labor economics in both developed and developing country settings, and offers an opportunity to meet and network with other researchers in the area.

Please feel free to distribute this widely to your networks: All are welcome to attend! Please email [email protected] with questions.

Location

The conference was held in person on Friday, April 28 in Copley Formal Lounge on Georgetown University’s main campus. Directions to the Copley Formal Lounge can be found here.

Agenda

9:00-9:25 Welcome breakfast and coffee

9:25-9:30 Welcome remarks

9:30-10:30 Session 1 

• Moises Yi, “Size Matters: The Benefits of Large Labor Markets for Job Seekers,” U.S. Census Bureau
• Benjamin Raymond, “The Impact of Referral-Networks on Sectoral Reallocation: Job Search Asymmetries and the Network Wedge,” Bureau of Labor Statistics

10:30-10:40 Coffee Break

10:40-12:10 Session 2

• Laurent Bossavie, “The Effects of Subsidizing Social Security Contributions: Job Creation or Formalization?” World Bank
• Sammy Young, “Unionization, Employer Opposition, and Establishment Closure,” U.S. Census Bureau
• Sandra Rozo, “Electoral Consequences of Facilitating Forced Migrant’s Integration,” World Bank

12:10-1:10 Lunch and poster session

1:10-2:10 Session 3 

• Jishnu Das, “Randomized Regulation: The Impact of Minimum Quality Standards on Health Markets,” Georgetown University
• Isabel Cairo, “Labor Market Discrimination and the Racial Unemployment Gap: Can Monetary Policy Make a Difference?“ Board of Governors

2:10-2:20 Coffee Break

2:20-3:50 Session 4

• Elira Kuka, “Spillover Effects of Welfare Programs,” George Washington University
• Sita Slavov, “Does Information Influence the Choice between Social Security Disability and Early Retirement?” George Mason University
• Krista Ruffini, “Does Unconditional Cash during Pregnancy Affect Infant Health?” Georgetown University

3:50-4:00 Coffee Break

4:00-5:00 Session 5  

• Soumitra Shukla, “Making the Elite: Top Jobs, Disparities, and Solutions,” Board of Governors
• Kevin Rinz, “Re-examining Regional Income Convergence: A Distributional Approach,” U.S. Census Bureau

5:00-6:00 Reception and networking

• Old North 205

Poster presentations:

• Esther Arenas Arroyo, “Low-Skilled Worker Shortages and Firm Performance,” Vienna University of Economics and Business
• Sungbin Park, “Did Pandemic Unemployment Insurance Prolong Unemployment but Reduce Covid Deaths?” George Mason University
• Nathalie Gonzalez-Prieto, “Career Effects of Working at a Startup,” University of Maryland
• Alexander McQuoid, “Peter Peter, Naval Leader, Had a Job but Couldn’t Keep Her – The Peter Principle in the US Navy,” U.S. Naval Academy
• Alejanda Montoya, “The Heterogeneous Value of Four- and Two-year College Choices,” University of Maryland
• Catalina Morales, “Am I Good Enough? The Effect of Non-cognitive Skills on College Applications,” University of Maryland
• Rachel Nesbit, “Mental Health in the Criminal Justice System: The Effect of Mandated Therapy for Convicted Individuals,” University of Maryland
• Miguel Sarzosa, “Childhood Gender Nonconformity and Gender Gaps in Life Outcomes,” Purdue University
• Cristina Tello-Trillo, “Trade Liberalization and Labor-Market Outcomes: Evidence from US Matched Employer-Employee Data,” U.S. Census Bureau
• Sean Wang, “What is the Price for Opportunity? The Effects of Employer Learning on Worker Promoti