Effects of Job Losses on Individuals and Families

Permanent job losses reached an all-time high in the most recent recession, and the long-term effects of these employment shocks on individuals and their families will be felt for many years to come.  Economists have long-established that permanent job loss leads to large and long-term reductions in income.  Current research goes beyond the income effects of job loss to look at effects on individual health and mortality, family stability, and children’s health and academic achievement.   This talk will summarize what we know about the long-term effects of job loss on a variety of outcomes and what this new research tells us about the relationship between income security and other measures of well-being and productivity.