On the Cyclicality and Stability of Real EarningsRobert A. Hart () and Jim Malley () No 45, IZA Discussion Papers from Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA) Abstract: We show in this paper that important insights into the cyclical behavior of wages can be gained by dividing (real) average hourly earnings into their straight-time hourly wage and overtime components. Our motivation is based on the idea of employment-contingent contracts. BLS published and unpublished statistics are used to decompose average earnings into (i) the straight-time wage rate, (ii) the ‘mark-up’ needed to achieve an overtime workers earnings rate, and (iii) the proportion of workers working overtime. Using monthly manufacturing data from 1962-1997, cyclicality measures of these components are based on contemporaneous bivariate correlations using four alternative detrending methods while stability is examined using recursive estimation and testing methods. While the wage rate is generally acyclical and unstable, the other two components are highly pro-cyclical and relatively stable. Keywords: Cyclical behavior of wages; straight-time wages; overtime; overtime premium (search for similar items in EconPapers) Downloads: (external link) Related works: Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text Persistent link: http://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:iza:izadps:dp45 Ordering information: This working paper can be ordered from Access Statistics for this paper More papers in IZA Discussion Papers from Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA) |
Is your work missing from RePEc? Here is how to contribute.
Questions or problems? Check the EconPapers FAQ or send mail to .
EconPapers is hosted by the
Swedish Business School at Örebro University.