Job Search Monitoring and Sanctions

Arbeitslosigkeit, Arbeitsuche, Workfare, Unemployment, Job search

Punitive sanctions and the transition rate from welfare to work

In The Netherlands, the average exit rate out of welfare is dramatically low. Most welfare recipients have to comply with guidelines on job searcheffort that are imposed by the welfare agency. If they do not, then a sanction in the form of a temporarily benefit reduction can be imposed. This paper investigates the effect of such sanctions on the transition fromwelfare to work using a unique set of rich administrative data on welfare recipients in The Netherlands. We find that the imposition of sanctionssubstantially increases the individual transition rate from welfare to work. We also describe the other determinants of the transition from welfare towork

Counseling and Monitoring of Unemployed Workers: Theory and Evidence from a Social Experiment

To stimulate the re-employment of unemployed workers, the Dutch local unemployment insurance agencies provide counseling and monitoring. We investigate the effect of this ``active labor market policy'' on the individual transition rate from unemployment to employment. We present a job search model with two search channels and endogenous search effort. This model provides theoretical background on the effects of providing counseling and monitoring. In the empirical analysis we use administrative data which are collected using a social experiment. Our reduced-form estimation results do not show a significant effect of counseling and monitoring on re-employment probabilities. According to our theoretical model this is caused by a shift from informal to formal job search mainly induced by the monitoring.

Structural empirical evaluation of job search monitoring

To evaluate search effort monitoring of unemployed workers, it is important to take account of post-unemployment wages and job-to-job mobility. We structurally estimate a model with search channels, using a controlled trial in which monitoring is randomized. The data include registers and survey data on search behavior. We find that the opportunity to move to better-paid jobs in employment reduces the extent to which monitoring induces substitution toward formal search channels in unemployment. Job mobility compensates for adverse long-run effects of monitoring on wages. We examine counterfactual policies against moral hazard, like reemployment bonuses and changes of the benefits path

Resilience of Alternative Stable States during the Recovery of Shallow Lakes from Eutrophication: Lake Veluwe as a Case Study

In this paper we analyze a long-term dataset on the recovery from eutrophication of Lake Veluwe (The Netherlands). Clear hysteresis was observed in a number of ecosystem variables: the route to recovery differed significantly from the route that led to loss of clear water. The macrophyte dominated state disappeared in the late 1960s at TP above 0.20mgl−1, whereas its return occurred at less than 0.10mgTPl−1. Several regime shifts resulting in the occurrence of three alternative stable states were observed over a period of 30years. The turbid state showed resistance to change, despite a strong and prompt reduction in Chl-a following reduction of external P-loading. The most important component that determined hysteresis in the return to clear water was not internal P-loading, but a high level of nonalgal light attenuation (through sediment resuspension) maintained by the interaction between wind and benthivorous fish. Although Chara was able to re-colonize the most shallow parts of the lake, recovery stalled and for a number of years clear (above charophyte beds) and turbid (deeper parts of the lake) water co-existed, as a separate alternative state on route to full recovery. Lake-wide clear water was re-established after bream density had been reduced substantially. This allowed a return of zebra mussels to the lake, whose high filtration capacity helped in maintaining clear water. In this study, we were able to identify the main drivers of hysteresis and regime shifts, although formal demonstration of cause and effect was not possible on the basis of field data alone. We argue that resilience of the present clear water state of Lake Veluwe very much depends on sizable populations of a few keystone species, especially Chara (stoneworts) and Dreissena (zebra mussels), and that careful management of these species is equally important as control of nutrients. Lake management should strive to maintain and strengthen resilience of the ecosystem, and this should offer protection against a renewed collapse of the clear stat

Monolithically Integrated Temperature Sensor in an InP-based Generic Integration Technology

We have developed various monolithically integrated temperature sensors to locally measure the temperature of InP-based photonic integrated circuits. These sensors are based on InP diodes with either an active multi-quantum well structure or a passive bulk quaternary structure. They have been fabricated in the generic integration process of SMART Photonics. We theoretically and experimentally explored the temperature dependence in the diode characteristics. Our results show that the devices are suitable for on-chip monitoring of the operating temperature of photonic integrated circuits. Integrating a temperature sensor on-chip enables a more local temperature measurement compared to using an external temperature sensor. This should be advantageous for temperature control of photonic integrated circuits

Potential contribution of cereal and milk based fermented foods to dietary nutrient intake of 1-5 years old children in Central province in Zambia

Zambia is still facing undernutrition and micronutrient deficiencies despite fortification and supplementation programmes stressing the need for additional solutions. Fermented foods have the potential to improve nutrient intake and, therefore, could have an important role in food based recommendations (FBRs) to ensure adequate intake of nutrients for optimal health of populations. Secondary dietary intake data was used in Optifood, a linear programming software to develop FBRs, for children aged 1–3 and 4–5 years in Mkushi district of Zambia. Three scenarios per age group were modeled to determine FBRs based on: (1) FBRs based on local available foods (2) FBR and Mabisi, a fermented milk beverage, and (3) FBR with Munkoyo, a cereal fermented beverage. The scenarios were compared to assess whether addition of Mabisi or Munkoyo achieved a better nutrient intake. FBRs based on only locally available non-fermented foods did not meet ≥70% of recommended nutrient intake (RNI) for calcium, fat, iron and zinc, so-called problem nutrients. The addition of Munkoyo to the FBRs did not reduce the number of problem nutrients, but after adding Mabisi to the FBR’s only iron (67% of RNI) in the 1–3 year age group and only zinc (67% of RNI) in the 4–5 year age group remained problem nutrients. Mabisi, a fermented milk product in combination with the local food pattern is a good additional source of nutrients for these age groups. However, additional nutrition sensitive and cost-effective measures would still be needed to improve nutrient intake, especially that of iron and zinc.</p

Inactive lifestyles and sedentary behavior in persons with chronic aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage: Evidence from accelerometer-based activity monitoring

Background: Aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (a-SAH) is a potential life-threatening stroke. Because survivors may be at increased risk for inactive and sedentary lifestyles, this study evaluates physical activity (PA) and sedentary behavior (SB) in the chronic phase after a-SAH. Methods: PA and SB were objectively measured at six months post a-SAH with an accelerometer-based activity monitor, with the aim to cover three consecutive weekdays. Total time spent in PA (comprising walking, cycling, running and non-cyclic movement) and SB (comprising sitting and lying) was determined. Also, in-depth analyses were performed to determine the accumulation and distribution of PA and SB throughout the day. Binary time series were created to determine the mean bout length and the fragmentation index. Measures of PA and SB in persons with a-SAH were compared to those in sex- and age-matched healthy controls. Results: The 51 participants comprised 33 persons with a-SAH and 18 controls. None of the participants had signs of paresis or spasticity. Persons with a-SAH spent 105 min/24 h being physically active, which was 35 min/24 h less than healthy controls (p = 0.005). For PA, compared with healthy controls, the mean bout length was shorter in those with a-SAH (12.0 vs. 13.5 s, p = 0.006) and the fragmentation index was higher (0.053 vs. 0.041, p < 0.001). Total sedentary time during waking hours showed no significant difference between groups (514 min vs. 474 min, p = 0.291). For SB, the mean bout length was longer in persons with a-SAH (122.3 vs. 80.5 s, p = 0.024), whereas there was no difference in fragmentation index between groups (0.0032 vs 0.0036, p = 0.396). Conclusions: Persons with a-SAH are less physically active, they break PA time into shorter periods, and SB periods last longer compared to healthy controls. Since inactive lifestyles and prolonged uninterrupted periods of SB are independent risk factors for poor cardiovascular health, interventions seem necessary and should target both PA and SB. Study registration: Dutch registry number: NTR 2085

Waarde van wetenschap:Observeren, weten en meten

Het is belangrijk en urgent dat de planbureaus de effecten van investeringen in wetenschap systematisch gaan evalueren met een ander instrumentarium. De huidige modelmatige aanpak is daarvoor ongeschikt. De waarde van investeringen in wetenschap wordt daardoor nu niet systematisch meegenomen bij beleidsevaluaties of het evalueren van partijprogramma’s. Hierdoor wordt investeren in wetenschap onterecht als een kostenpost gezien