08.04.2021 • 10/2021
IWH Bankruptcy Update: Bankruptcy Statistics Rise Again in March
The number of firms declaring bankruptcy in Germany increased once again in March. However, the number of jobs impacted by the bankruptcy of large firms remained constant. The IWH Bankruptcy Report, published by the Halle Institute for Economic Research (IWH), provides a monthly update on German bankruptcy statistics.
Steffen Müller
Read press release
04.02.2021 • 5/2021
IWH Bankruptcy Update: Wave of bankruptcies in retail and hospitality has yet to materialise as downward trend in statistics continues
The number of reported bankruptcies in Germany fell in January 2021. Furthermore, bankruptcy statistics are anticipated to stay at a low level in coming months, according to the Halle Institute for Economic Research (IWH), which provides monthly statistics on corporate bankruptcies in Germany with its IWH Bankruptcy Update.
Steffen Müller
Read press release
03.12.2020 • 24/2020
IWH Bankruptcy Update: Fewer Large Companies Declare Bankruptcy
Following a spike in bankruptcy of large companies, statistics on impacted employees are declining again. The total number of bankruptcies also remains at a low level. Published by the Halle Institute for Economic Research (IWH), the IWH Bankruptcy Update provides monthly statistics on corporate bankruptcies in Germany.
Steffen Müller
Read press release
06.10.2020 • 19/2020
IWH Bankruptcy Update: Bankruptcies Stabilise at a Low Level; Number of Affected Jobs Remains High
The number of companies declaring bankruptcy in Germany was very low in September, and no significant increase is expected in the coming months. By contrast, the number of jobs impacted by corporate bankruptcies remained elevated in September; monthly layoff figures have increased significantly since the beginning of the year. These are the key findings of the IWH Bankruptcy Update, a monthly monitor of insolvency statistics published by the Halle Institute for Economic Research (IWH).
Steffen Müller
Read press release
07.09.2020 • 17/2020
IWH Bankruptcy Update: Bankruptcies Hit New Low; New Outlook Feature
The number of companies reporting bankruptcy in Germany sank to a new low in August. Associated job losses also declined noticeably, following marked increases in prior months. Published by the Halle Institute for Economic Research, the IWH Bankruptcy Update provides monthly statistics on corporate bankruptcies in Germany. Starting this month, the update will also feature a two-month outlook.
Steffen Müller
Read press release
Who Buffers Income Losses after Job Displacement? The Role of Alternative Income Sources, the Family, and the State
Daniel Fackler, Eva Weigt
LABOUR: Review of Labour Economics and Industrial Relations,
No. 3,
2020
Abstract
Using survey data from the German Socio‐Economic Panel (SOEP), this paper analyses the extent to which alternative income sources, reactions within the household context, and redistribution by the state attenuate earnings losses after job displacement. Applying propensity score matching and fixed effects estimations, we find that income from self‐employment reduces the earnings gap only slightly and severance payments buffer losses in the short run. On the household level, we find little evidence for an added worker effect whereas redistribution by the state within the tax and transfer system mitigates income losses substantially.
Read article
05.06.2020 • 8/2020
IWH Bankruptcy Update: Increase in large firm bankruptcies
With overall corporate bankruptcies remaining constant, ever more employees are subject to employer bankruptcy in Germany. This is the latest insight from the IWH Bankruptcy Update provided monthly by the Halle Institute for Economic Research (IWH).
Steffen Müller
Read press release
Employment Protection and Firm-level Job Reallocation:Adjusting for Coverage
Benedicta Marzinotto, Ladislav Wintr
IWH-CompNet Discussion Papers,
No. 5,
2019
Abstract
This paper finds that employment protection legislation (EPL) had a significant impact on employment adjustment in Europe over 2001-2013, once we account for firm-size related exemptions to EPL. We construct a novel coverage-adjusted EPL indicator and find that EPL hinders employment growth at the firm level and increases the share of firms that remain in the same size class. This suggests that stricter EPL restrains job creation because firms fear the costs of shedding jobs during downturns. We do not find evidence that EPL has positive effects on employment by limiting job losses after adverse shocks. In addition to standard controls for the share of credit-constrained firms and the position in the business cycle, we also control for sizerelated corporate tax exemptions and find that these also significantly constrain job creation among incumbent firms.
Read article
Does Extended Unemployment Benefit Duration Ameliorate the Negative Employment Effects of Job Loss?
Daniel Fackler, Jens Stegmaier, Eva Weigt
Labour Economics,
2019
Abstract
We study the effect of job displacement due to bankruptcies on earnings and employment prospects of displaced workers and analyse whether extended potential unemployment benefit duration (PBD) ameliorates the negative consequences of job loss. Using German administrative linked employer-employee data, we find that job loss has long-lasting negative effects on earnings and employment. Displaced workers also more often end up in irregular employment relationships (part-time, marginal part-time employment, and temporary agency work) than their non-displaced counterparts. Applying a regression discontinuity approach that exploits a three months PBD extension at the age threshold of 50 we find hardly any effects of longer PBD on labour market outcomes of displaced workers.
Read article
Unternehmensinsolvenzen: Welche Folgen haben sie für Arbeitnehmer?
Daniel Fackler
Wirtschaftsdienst,
No. 6,
2019
Abstract
Unternehmensinsolvenzen sind nicht nur für Eigentümer und Gläubiger mit erheblichen Unannehmlichkeiten verbunden, sie haben zumeist auch schwerwiegende Auswirkungen auf die Arbeitnehmer, die dadurch in aller Regel ihre Arbeitsplätze verlieren. Insbesondere Insolvenzen großer Unternehmen mit mehreren Tausend Beschäftigten – prominente Fälle sind beispielsweise Schlecker, Praktiker oder Air Berlin – führen gelegentlich dazu, dass die Schicksale der betroffenen Arbeitnehmer auch in den Fokus einer breiteren Öffentlichkeit geraten. Das Interesse von Politik und Medien lässt jedoch meist schnell wieder nach, obwohl Unternehmensinsolvenzen natürlich weitaus häufiger vorkommen. Zwar ist die Zahl der Unternehmensinsolvenzen seit einigen Jahren rückläufig, dennoch waren 2018 deutschlandweit fast 20 000 Unternehmen und 200 000 Arbeitsplätze betroffen.
Read article
