COVID-19 and the UK labour market

K. Mayhew*, Paul Anand

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleAcademicpeer-review

Abstract

This article considers policy responses to the COVID-19 crisis as they affect the labour market, how these policies are evolving and some of the design issues they face. The concentration is on the UK, but other countries are also discussed for comparative purposes. The Job Retention Scheme is a successful innovation to keep temporarily stopped workers attached to their employers. However, since economic recovery will be slow, it is not sustainable in its current form. A sustained rise in unemployment is inevitable and alternative policies to mitigate this and the dangers of scarring are discussed. The structure of output will change, as therefore will the composition of jobs. A comprehensive active manpower policy will be needed to efficiently match job seekers to available jobs. The
young are likely to suffer disproportionately from the recession and this makes it essential to introduce radical policies to boost work-based training and to enhance the contribution made by further and higher education institutions
Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)S215–S224
Number of pages10
JournalOxford Review of Economic Policy
Volume36
Issue numberS1
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 28 Sept 2020

JEL classifications

  • j08 - Labor Economics Policies
  • j68 - Mobility, Unemployment, and Vacancies: Public Policy
  • j23 - Labor Demand
  • j21 - Labor Force and Employment, Size, and Structure
  • j65 - "Unemployment Insurance; Severance Pay; Plant Closings"

Keywords

  • COVID-19
  • Job Retention Scheme
  • unemployment
  • scarring
  • active manpower policy

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