Gender differences in unemployment insurance coverage: A comparative analysis

Social insurance systems are known to reproduce gender inequalities in the labour market because they are usually based on standard employment contracts (full-time, permanent, dependent) and often take into account the household constellation through means-testing. Gender inequalities in the labour market consist of higher part-time employment rates, more frequent movements between employment and inactivity and on average lower wages among women. These inequalities are mainly due to the unequal distribution of household and family tasks between men and women. This paper will use the data of the European Household Panel to compare access to and level of unemployment benefits between men and women. Differences in access to benefits are usually brought about by the following design features of unemployment benefits: hours and earnings thresholds, minimum contribution requirements, and means-testing, whereas the benefit levels in many systems are calculated as a share of former earnings, and among long-term unemployed are also affected by means-testing. -- Da soziale Sicherungssysteme auf sogenannte Normalarbeitsverhältnisse (Vollzeit, unbefristet, abhängig) ausgerichtet sind und häufig von Bedarfsprüfungen Gebrauch machen, reproduzieren sie Geschlechterungleichheiten im Arbeitsmarkt, die auf Grund der ungleichen Verteilung von Haushalts- und Familienaufgaben zwischen Frauen und Männern zustande kommen. So sind Frauen beispielsweise weit häufiger in Teilzeit beschäftigt, sie wechseln häufiger zwischen Beschäftigung und Inaktivität und verdienen weiterhin durchschnittlich geringere Löhne als Männer. Das Papier vergleicht auf Basis der Daten des Europäischen Haushaltspanels den Deckungsgrad und die Höhe von Arbeitslosenversicherungsleistungen zwischen Frauen und Männern. Unterschiede im Zugang zu Arbeitslosenversicherungsleistungen werden unter anderem durch die folgenden Charakteristika von Arbeitslosenversicherungssystemen bestimmt: Einkommens- oder Stundenschwellenwerte, Mindestbeitragszeiten und Bedarfsprüfungen. Die Höhe der Leistungen hängt in vielen Systemen von der Höhe der vormaligen Arbeitseinkommen ab, wird aber bei Langzeitarbeitslosen häufig auch durch Bedarfsprüfungen bestimmt.

Exact thermostatic results for the n-vector model on the harmonic chain

Revised Version with corrections of misprints.Comment: LaTeX, 6 pages, 1 Figure upon reques

Sequences of Willmore surfaces

In this paper we develop the theory of Willmore sequences for Willmore surfaces in the 4-sphere. We show that under appropriate conditions this sequence has to terminate. In this case the Willmore surface either is the twistor projection of a holomorphic curve into complex projective space or the inversion of a minimal surface with planar ends in 4-space. These results give a unified explanation of previous work on the characterization of Willmore spheres and Willmore tori with non-trivial normal bundles by various authors.Comment: 10 page

Simple diamagnetic monotonicities for Schroedinger operators with inhomogeneous magnetic fields of constant direction

Under certain simplifying conditions we detect monotonicity properties of the ground-state energy and the canonical-equilibrium density matrix of a spinless charged particle in the Euclidean plane subject to a perpendicular, possibly inhomogeneous magnetic field and an additional scalar potential. Firstly, we point out a simple condition warranting that the ground-state energy does not decrease when the magnetic field and/or the potential is increased pointwise. Secondly, we consider the case in which both the magnetic field and the potential are constant along one direction in the plane and give a genuine path-integral argument for corresponding monotonicities of the density-matrix diagonal and the absolute value of certain off-diagonals. Our results complement to some degree results of M. Loss and B. Thaller [Commun. Math. Phys. 186 (1997) 95] and L. Erdos [J. Math. Phys. 38 (1997) 1289]

Transitional Labour Markets, from theory to policy application. Can transitional labour markets contribute to a less traditional gender division of labour ?

Much of the gender inequality in the labour market is brought about by women's dual role as worker and (potential) carer. In this regard transitional arrangements can contribute to mitigate the risks associated with parenthood and to distribute risks more equally. This paper looks at these issues in light of the transitional labour market (TLM) concept. The first section discusses various gender-equality models which imply different ways of organising, for example, childcare, parental leave and flexible working time. Sections two and three look at gender inequalities in labour market outcomes and discuss transitional arrangements that can contribute to the achievement of more gender equality in six countries taken as examples. The last section discusses the results of the labour market and institutional analysis in light of the TLM concept.Gender, labour market, transitional labour markets, childcare, parental leave, flexible working time.