Abstract

This paper identifies a considerable gap in the literature that studies living wage policy. The field of living wage research is relatively small, as the topic is fairly new. There is little consensus between economists on the complete effects that a living wage policy has on a given labor market. This might be a construct of the wide variety of testing methods and model specifications that are used in the research process. However, most studies fail to recognize the spatial implications of the policy. The introduction of a living wage must be studied in a way that addresses the change in the composition of the metropolitan labor market. Since living wage policies have been implemented only in large metropolitan cities thus far, it should be studied in a manner that observes the differences between neighboring labor markets, rather than aggregating data from the entire geographic location. The model presented in this paper includes several independent variables to evaluate the spatial effects that a living wage policy has when estimating income and employment.

Advisor

Burnell, Jim

Department

Economics

Disciplines

Econometrics | Economic Theory | Labor Economics

Keywords

living wage, spatial differentials, employment, income

Publication Date

2017

Degree Granted

Bachelor of Arts

Document Type

Senior Independent Study Thesis

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© Copyright 2017 Garret Hodos