Heterogeneous returns of informality

Evidence from Brazil

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.60758/laer.v31.76

Keywords:

Informality, labor inspections, segmented labor markets, marginal treatment effects

Abstract

This paper estimates the marginal treatment effect of informality on wages for Brazil at the individual level using a combination of administrative data on labor inspections and regional data on economic and geographic indicators at the state level for identification. The results indicate that the LATE is zero, which implies that formal workers do not earn a premium, on average, but there are significant heterogeneous effects as workers with lower non-pecuniary costs associated to formality do earn very high premiums up to 100%. Thus, there is evidence of workers self-selecting into the type of jobs that better reward their skills.

 

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Published

2022-12-26

Issue

Vol. 31 (2022)

Section

Regular articles

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Copyright (c) 2022 Andrea Otero-Cortes

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How to Cite

Heterogeneous returns of informality: Evidence from Brazil. (2022). Latin American Economic Review, 31, 1-41. https://doi.org/10.60758/laer.v31.76