From Unemployment to Self-Employment: An Evaluation of Self-Employment Assistance Programs

• 成果类型: Article
• 署名作者: Gaillard, Alexandre; Kankanamge, Sumudu
• 署名单位: Brown University; Le Mans Universite
• 刊物名称: JOURNAL OF LABOR ECONOMICS
• ISSN/ISSBN: 0734-306X
• DOI: 10.1086/732765
• 发表日期: 2026
• 关键词: Entrepreneurship; RISK; insurance; frictions; taxation; credit

摘要

This paper evaluates self-employment assistance (SEA) programs, which are government initiatives extending the unemployment insurance system to support unemployment to self-employment transitions. Using a general equilibrium model of the US labor market, we show that these programs have important labor market mobility effects and increase the self-employment rate. They also significantly impact the composition and performance outcomes of self-employment: while lump-sum subsidies select low-skilled individuals, SEA programs contingent on previously employed earnings select skilled and wealthier individuals. At the aggregate level, the latter programs mainly reallocate individuals from employment to self-employment, leaving the unemployment rate largely unaffected.