Event Details
The Canadian Women Economists Committee (CWEC) is once again hosting a brownbag series! It will be held on the last Monday of every month from October 2022 to April 2023. We are seeking women economists early in their careers who are interested in sharing a 20 minute presentation of a work-in-progress.
Research shows that women economists are treated more harshly in research seminars than men. Additionally, while many PhD students receive valuable feedback from their advisors, once they graduate, there is often a lack of opportunity for presenting work-in-progress. This can slow down the road to tenure, and add to the problem of the "leaky pipeline". This brownbag series is intended to provide a low-risk, friendly atmosphere where feedback can be sought, and serves as an opportunity to (virtually) meet other women economists and expand your network.
2022-2023 Schedule:
Each session is held at the same time (10 AM PT/11 AM MT/12 PM CT/1 PM ET/2 PM AT).
April 24, 2023
April 24, 2023 Event Details:
Dr. Qiongda Zhao
Title of the paper: Design Matters: Causal Evidence on Cash Benefits and Fertility
Child-related benefits are a common policy tool in many countries aimed at reducing the costs of raising children and increasing fertility rates. However, the impact of benefit design on fertility responses remains understudied. This paper aims to fill this gap by examining the introduction of two benefits - a universal benefit and an earnings-related benefit - in the Canadian province of Quebec. Using Canadian administrative tax data and exploiting regional and time variation in benefits, I follow a difference-in-differences approach to uncover fertility responses to these benefits. The empirical analysis reveals two key results. Firstly, a C$1,000 (2017 prices) spent on universal benefits raises fertility by 3.6%, while the same amount spent on earnings-related benefits raises fertility by 2%. Importantly, the increase in fertility reflects an increase in the ultimate number of children, rather than a re-timing of having children. Secondly, the large discrepancy in fertility responses is driven by the distributional features of the two benefits. Universal benefits provide larger payments to low-earning women who are more responsive to financial incentives, while earnings-related benefits provide larger payments to high-earning women who are less responsive.
Dr. Deepty Sarder
Title of the paper: Examining the Income Gap between Canadian-born and Immigrant Working Age Adults
The income gap between immigrants and Canadian-born counterparts has been a persistent issue in Canada. While previous studies have shown a decline in earnings among immigrants compared to Canadian-born individuals, they did not take into account various forms of income. Additionally, studies have revealed that recent immigrants holding university degrees are more likely to be employed in low-income jobs with lower educational prerequisites. This study examines the income gap between immigrants and Canadian-born working-age adults using the 1996, 2006, and 2016 waves of the Canadian Census. Blinder-Oaxaca decomposition methods were used to analyze the explained (differences in observable characteristics) and unexplained (returns to observable characteristics) factors affecting this gap. Results show that immigrants typically earned less than Canadian-born respondents, and the gap grew due to unexplained factors. However, taxes reduced the gap by almost 37% in 2006 and 33% in 2016. Higher levels and returns to education reduced the gap in 1996 and 2006, but in 2016, returns to education contributed to its increase. Furthermore, returns to experience and group-identification increased the unexplained gap, which may be evidence of discriminatory practices. However, firms may also be reducing the valuation of immigrant human capital. Thus, policies to address international accreditation and disparities in global education and employment standards may help reduce the gap.
CWEC Brownbag Speaker Application Form.
When
Location
- Online - Last Monday of the Month
