Is unemployment really scarring? Effects of unemployment experiences on wages

Abstract

Joblessness leaves permanent scars on individuals. They not only lose income during periods of joblessness they are also further scarred by these experiences when they find employment. A spell of unemployment is found to carry a wage penalty of about 6% on re-entry in Britain, and after three years, they are earning 14% less compared to what they would have received in the absence of unemployment. The scars are also carried into their second employment spell. The first spell of joblessness is found to cause the most damage. Redundancy seems to be less stigmatising.