Download This PaperThe Labor Market Impacts of Universal and Permanent Cash Transfers: Evidence from the Alaska Permanent Fund
73 Pages Posted: 22 Feb 2018 Last revised: 6 Jan 2020
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The Labor Market Impacts of Universal and Permanent Cash Transfers: Evidence from the Alaska Permanent Fund
The Labor Market Impacts of Universal and Permanent Cash Transfers: Evidence from the Alaska Permanent Fund
The Labor Market Impacts of Universal and Permanent Cash Transfers: Evidence from the Alaska Permanent Fund
Date Written: February 5, 2018
Abstract
How would universal and permanent cash transfers affect the labor market? Since 1982, all Alaskan residents have received a yearly cash dividend from the Alaska Permanent Fund. Using data from the Current Population Survey and a synthetic control method, we show that the dividend had no effect on employment, and increased part-time work by 1.8 percentage points (17%). We calibrate expected micro and macro effects of the cash transfer using prior literature, and find our results to be consistent with cash stimulating the local economy --- a general equilibrium effect. We further show that non-tradable sectors have a more positive employment response than tradable sectors. Overall, our results suggest that a universal and permanent cash transfer does not significantly decrease aggregate employment.
Keywords: unconditional cash transfer, universal basic income, labor supply, employment
JEL Classification: H24, I38, J21, J22
Suggested Citation: Suggested Citation