August 16, 2011
The NYT has a front page piece touting the health of the Germany economy. While the piece notes employment protections in Germany that make it difficult for employers to lay off workers, it doesn’t explicit mention the country’s shortwork program. This program (noted today by columnist Joe Nocera) encourages companies to reduce work hours rather than lay off workers. Largely as a result of German policies promoting short work (which go beyond the official program), the unemployment rate in Germany is now a full percentage point lower than it was at the start of the downturn.
Germany’s extraordinary record on unemployment is almost entirely due to its labor market policy. Its record on growth since the start of the downturn is not especially impressive.
This article also should have used the OECD harmonized unemployment rates, which are calculated in a way similar to the U.S. measure, rather than the German government measures. While the German government measure shows an overall unemployment at 7.0 percent, the OECD measure shows German unemployment at 6.1 percent in June. Since almost no readers will be familiar with the distinction between the German government’s methodology and the U.S. methodology with which they are familiar (Germany counts some part-time workers as unemployed) there is no reason not to use the OECD measure.
Comments