Job-Seeking Behavior in Young Adults: Do Unemployment Insurance Benefits Hurt Job Search Efforts?

    Authors

    B. L. Yegidis; B. S. Lee; N. S. Park; M. Landers;M. M. Kennedy

    Comments

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    Abbreviated Journal Title

    J. Soc. Serv. Res.

    Keywords

    Unemployment insurance; young adults; job-seeking behavior; LEARNED HELPLESSNESS; Social Work

    Abstract

    ABSTRACT. The purpose of the present study was to evaluate the association between extended unemployment insurance (UI) benefits and young adults' job-seeking behavior. In particular, the study evaluated if the extension of UI benefits to 99 weeks in 2008 had direct effects on job search efforts. Three waves (2007-2009) of data (N = 915) from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth were analyzed using multiple regression models to assess the association of UI benefits to young adults' job search efforts. Additionally, the homogeneity of slope coefficients of the UI benefit on job search effort was evaluated across 3years using an analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). The results of regression analyses suggest that UI benefits were negatively associated with job search efforts for 2007 and the pooled sample of 2007 to 2009, but the relationship was not significant for 2008 and 2009. The results of the ANCOVA suggest that the UI benefit extension of 2008 did not have any negative association with job search efforts. Future studies should explore the subjective experiences and decisions young adults make in consideration of unemployment, UI benefits, and job search efforts.

    Journal Title

    Journal of Social Service Research

    Volume

    41

    Issue/Number

    1

    Publication Date

    1-1-2015

    Document Type

    Article

    Language

    English

    First Page

    133

    Last Page

    140

    WOS Identifier

    WOS:000347533300010

    ISSN

    0148-8376

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