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Abstract:
Social assistance in Germany reduces the incentive to work. The U. S. Welfare to Work Programme tries to avoid such disincentives. It consists essentially of two elements: the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) for employees in low wage occupations and a Workfare model. The EITC and the Workfare model as implemented in the State of Wisconsin are described and analyzed. Conclusions for welfare reform in Germany are drawn.

Abstract:
The forces of the market and systems competition bring about economic and social convergence in Europe, and there is no need for social policies at the EU level. Social harmonization would distort migration flows and slow down the speed of economic convergence. National welfare states will be threatened by the free migration of people in Europe. The race to the bottom is a serious risk. However, to contain this risk, neither harmonization of welfare payments nor constraints on migration are needed. The adoption of the principle of selectively delayed integration is a better alternative.

Abstract:
The forces of the market and systems competition bring about economic and social convergence in Europe. There is no need for social policies at the EU level. Social harmonisation would distort migration flows and slow down the speed of economic convergence. National welfare states will be threatened by the free migration of people in Europe. The race to the bottom is a serious risk. However, to contain this risk, neither harmonisation of welfare payments nor constraints on migration are needed. The adoption of the principle of selectively delayed integration is the better alternative.

Abstract:
The EU Directive on Free Movement of 2004 extended free movement within the EU to Union citizens who are inactive and gave them access to the welfare benefits of host countries. The paper examines the extent to which these measures provoke migration to those countries with the highest levels of welfare benefits. The paper concludes that migration is limited by the requirement of considerable financial assets in order to bridge a waiting period of five years as well as negative financial incentives. On the other hand, migration is attractive for those working in the informal sector of host countries.

EU Free Movement Directive, welfare tourism, inactive citizens

Abstract:
This article reviews the evidence of specific mandatory work-first programmes (job search assistance and workfare) for welfare recipients in the United States, the United Kingdom, Denmark, the Netherlands and Germany. It primarily refers to experimental and econometric evaluations of single programmes and to meta-evaluations. The effectiveness of specific programme elements in promoting the transition from welfare to work is summarized. The advantage of combining work-first with training programmes and in-work benefits is discussed. As the diversity of programmes, target groups, research designs, etc. makes cross-country comparisons difficult, policy conclusions are drawn with caution.

Abstract:
This paper reviews the evidence of specific mandatory work-first programmes (job search assistance and workfare) for welfare recipients in the United States, the United Kingdom, Denmark, the Netherlands and Germany. It primarily refers to experimental and econometric evaluations. The effectiveness of specific programme elements in promoting the transition from welfare to work is compared. The advantage of combining work-first with training programmes and inwork benefits is discussed. Some policy conclusions are drawn.

welfare-to-work, evaluations

Abstract:
Some English speaking countries provide employment-conditional tax credits and benefits with a view to increasing employment and improving family income in the low wage brackets. This article deals with Great Britain's Working Families' Tax Credit, Ireland's Back to Work Allowance and her Family Income Supplement, as well as Canada's Child Tax Benefit and her Self-sufficiency Project. It analyses the effects of these programmes and examines whether they can be transplanted to continental European countries.

Abstract:
This paper reviews the evidence on welfare time limits in the United States. It primarily refers to experimental and econometric evaluations. Time limits affect welfare recipients both before and after their limits are reached. Time limits reduce welfare receipt and increase employment before recipients reach the limit, as recipients hoard their months of eligibility for future use. Once recipients begin to exhaust their benefit entitlements, welfare use falls sharply. A large proportion of time-limit leavers, however, continues to receive Food Stamps, Medicaid, etc. The impact on employment is mixed. Income effects change from positive to neutral in subsequent periods.

welfare time limits, evaluations

Abstract:
The area-wide wage agreement is at the centre of Germany's system of collective bargaining. In recent years, however, there has been a tendency towards the decentralisation of collective bargaining. Individual wage agreements have led to more moderate wage developments, whilst wage agreements with individual firms, and agreements at the production unit level have not had this moderating effect. On the other hand, collective bargaining has become more flexible. The further decentralisation of collective bargaining gives rise to objections based in constitutional law and to the resistance of employees and (in part) also of employers.

Abstract:
International comparisons of labour market institutions and their transfer across boundaries have gained in importance. The paper deals with the question of the best way to proceed in making such comparisons. At the same time the question of the possibilities and limits to institutional transfer is addressed. On the one hand competition between systems obliges governments to adopt institutions of other countries. On the other hand inflexibilities resulting from path dependency and/or powerful domestic interest groups can impede the transfer of institutions.

Abstract:
Reforms of employment protection (EPL) in Europe eased the recourse to temporary forms of employment while not reducing the strictness of EPL of permanent jobs (with the exception of Spain). Since 1990, such two-tier reforms have been implemented in Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands and Sweden. The paper seeks to show why two-tier reforms of EPL have taken place in some countries and have failed on other occasions. This is done by having a loser look at the history of national reform processes. In addition the paper seeks to determine whether two-tier reforms later led to EPL reforms for permanent jobs.

employment protection, two-tier reforms, political economy

Abstract:
Since 2003 the German Public Employment Service (PES) has been experimenting with the contracting out of various services. One of the new labour market programmes is the Personnel Service Agencies, which provide client firms with jobseekers on a temporary assignment basis and are responsible for integrating jobseekers into non-subsidised employment. By contracting out employment services, the PES seeks to exploit efficiency gains characteristic of enterprises that compete in quasi-markets. In order to integrate jobseekers as rapidly as possible, a result-oriented system of incentives has been developed. This paper describes the institutional setting and examines its appropriateness for efficient job placement services.

contracting out, quasi-markets, temporary agency work, Personnel Service

Abstract:
This paper presents an empirical analysis of unemployment patterns in the OECD countries from the 1960s to the 1990s. Our results indicate the following. First, broad movements in unemployment across the OECD can be explained by shifts in labour market institutions. Second, interactions between average values of these institutions and shocks make no significant additional contribution to our understanding of OECD unemployment changes.

Abstract:
The area-wide wage agreement is at the centre of Germany's system of collective bargaining. In recent years, however, there has been a tendency towards the decentralization of collective bargaining. Individual wage agreements have led to more moderate wage developments, whilst collective agreements with individual firms, and agreements at the production unit level, have not had this moderating effect. On the other hand, collective bargaining has become more flexible, leading to greater pay differentiation. The further decentralization of collective bargaining, although desirable, has given rise to objections based in constitutional law and to resistance from employees and employers.

Abstract:
Since the middle of the 1980s many European countries have reduced the strictness of their employment protection mainly by relaxing it for temporary jobs. These countries are Belgium, Denmark, Germany, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Spain and Sweden. The article explores the conditions of the reduction of employment protection and takes a closer look at the combination of causal factors. It uses fuzzy-set qualitative comparative analysis (fuzzy-set QCA).

employment protection, fuzzy-set QCA, political economy