In: Economics
Explain how the benefits and costs of unemployment insurance are related to the duration of unemployment. (Hint: your answer should rely on the ideas of consumption smoothing and moral hazard.)
Benefits of unemployment insurance is that it helps in sustainance of workers . Stability in consumption path is achieved to some extent by this insurance which gives a worker an incentive to be actively searching for jobs in the labour force . This temporary financial assistance also helps to maintain the human capital level in the economy . So in this case duration of unemployment is decreased . A worker can maintain his potential by this financial assistamce and continually search for new jobs .
On the other hand it also causes a moral hazard problem . Knowing that an unemployment insurance is present to guard them , workers lose their incentive to work . Specially for jobs which have a wage rate almost equal to the financial assistance . People find it more lucrative to spend time in leisure . Such insurances decreases the risks and negative effects of unemployment , causing the duration of unemployment to increase .