Benjamin Schoefer

Economics professor at UC Berkeley. 🇺🇸🇪🇺🇩🇪

[CEPR @cepr_org]

New CEPR Discussion Paper - DP21569
Off the Labor Supply Curve: The Zero Employer Size Wage Effect Within Large Firms
Andre Diegmann, Steffen Müller @IWH_Halle, Benjamin Schoefer @Schoefer_B @UCBerkeley @berkeleyecon
https://t.co/WIN5ASX5TV
#CEPR_LE #CEPR_MG #CEPR_OE #EconTwitter

[Benjamin Schoefer @Schoefer_B]

Larger employers pay more: the canonical "size wage effect."

Monopsony: To be larger, they *must* pay more<=>labor supply is finitely elastic.

Tension: *No* size wage effect w/in multi-unit firms.

=>Hiring off, not along, LS curve?

New paper w/@AndreDiegmann & Steffen Müller:

[NBER @nberpubs]

The employer size wage effect disappears completely across establishments within the same firm, even though they operate in different local labor markets, from @AndreDiegmann, Steffen Müller, and @Schoefer_B https://t.co/uiLJ6ARys7

[NBER @nberpubs]

The employer size wage effect disappears completely across establishments within the same firm, even though they operate in different local labor markets, from @AndreDiegmann, Steffen Müller, and @Schoefer_B https://t.co/uiLJ6ARys7

[Simon Mongey @Simon_Mongey]

This was a fantastic conference structured around how labor markets function and policies for maximum employment. Many thanks to all the presenters. Thanks to @JeffHorwich for taking the time (on the weekend!) to speak to our presenters and digest all their papers!

[Minneapolis Fed @MinneapolisFed]

"Almost all of the leading, serious quantitative labor economists--in one room." Solid review from our recent "Micro & Macro Foundations of Labor Markets" conf., assembled by our @Simon_Mongey & Patrick Kehoe w/ Elena Pastorino, Magne Mogstad & Erik Hurst. https://t.co/FtNEl8MMYm

[AEA Journals @AEAjournals]

Forthcoming in AEJ: Applied Economics: "Deadwood Labor? The Effects of Eliminating Employment Protection for Older Workers" by Emmanuel Saez, Benjamin Schoefer, and David Seim. https://t.co/wSWE4Z1Z14

[Isabel Schnabel 🇪🇺🇺🇦 @Isabel_Schnabel]

To all young PhD students in econ & finance: Please make sure you apply for the #YoungEconomistPrize at our #ECBForum at Sintra. This is a once-in-a-lifetime experience where all finalists can present their work and interact with distinguished researchers and policymakers.

[Isabel Schnabel 🇪🇺🇺🇦 @Isabel_Schnabel]

Another great round of discussions with German-speaking economists, today on productivity, defense, financial stability, exchange rates, geopolitical risks and the future of Europe. Thanks for joining!

[Benjamin Schoefer @Schoefer_B]

Raises question: what is the weak link? Monopsony model? Markdown measurement? Research design (theory-model link, empirical implementation),...?

Ungated PDF here:
https://t.co/3Pl7y6D33n

[Benjamin Schoefer @Schoefer_B]

New paper:
"Monopsony, Markdowns, and Minimum Wages"
w/ E. Faia & B. Lochner
First direct test of influential idea:
Employers exploit monopsony (wage setting) power to "mark down" wages<MRPL.
=>Minimum wages make firms "wage takers" & curb markdowns.
Puzzle: hard to see in data!

[NBER @nberpubs]

Examining whether measured wage markdowns reflect monopsony power by studying the minimum wage introduction in Germany, from Ester Faia, Benjamin Lochner, and @Schoefer_B https://t.co/YukdHYAYIi

[NBER @nberpubs]

Examining whether measured wage markdowns reflect monopsony power by studying the minimum wage introduction in Germany, from Ester Faia, Benjamin Lochner, and @Schoefer_B https://t.co/YukdHYAYIi

[Malte Jacob Rattenborg @MalteRattenborg]

📢 PhD Workshop in Labor and Behavioral Economics 2026 📢

The next edition will take place at @CEBI_UCPH , Copenhagen (June 8–9, 2026).

Keynote speakers: Ingar Haaland (NHH) & Benjamin Schoefer (UC Berkeley).

Call for Papers: https://t.co/TA313a3rO2
Deadline: Jan 31, 2026

[VoxEU @voxeu]

Conflict in dismissals: Evidence from ‘separations by mutual agreement’ in France
Pauline Carry @PaulineCarry @PrincetonSPIA, Benjamin Schoefer @Schoefer_B @UCBerkeley @berkeleyecon @sffed
https://t.co/zyPoOwM9PN

[Benjamin Schoefer @Schoefer_B]

Nicola Fuchs-Schündeln & ich im Wirtschaftsdienst
@Zeitschrift_WD:

"Dynamik statt Stillstand: Arbeitsmarkt­institutionen als Schlüssel für Wachstum"

Wie könnte "Dynamisierung" des Arbeitsmarkts Europas Wachstums förden?

PDF
https://t.co/9UbKKZckJQ

Web
https://t.co/YJNF2Dynnh

[ROCKWOOL Foundation Berlin @RF_Berlin]

What happens when firms set wages outside of national agreements?
"The Winners and Losers from Collective Bargaining Decentralization", by Christian Dustmann, @c_giannetto, @l_incoronato, @chiaralac, Vincenzo Pezone, @raffaelesaggio, and @Schoefer_B. https://t.co/VOhTWnnF6e

[Simon Jäger @simon_jaeger]

📢 Come work with us - we are hiring!

@Princeton Industrial Relations Section is hiring Senior Research Specialists!

Work directly with faculty, dive into labor economics research, and prep for grad school.
Apply 👉 https://t.co/AOEc7kvPS9
Please spread the word!
@econ_ra

[ROCKWOOL Foundation Berlin @RF_Berlin]

We are delighted to conclude the RFBerlin Conference on Worker Co-Determination and Governance with a keynote lecture on “Eurosclerosis at 40: Labor Market Institutions, Dynamism, and European Competitiveness” by @Schoefer_B.

[Luis Garicano 🇪🇺🇺🇦 @lugaricano]

8/10
What worries me is that Europe lagged badly in adopting information technology (ICT). As Benjamin Schoefer (2025) argued in Sintra, rigid labor markets and high failure costs discouraged firms from disruptive tech. https://t.co/6DxcHezU0K

[Núcleo Milenio LM2C2 @Lm2c2millenium]

We’re proud to host Benjamin Schoefer, Professor at UC Berkeley and expert in unemployment, labor market institutions, and policy reform. His work has informed labor policy in the US and Europe.

[Benjamin Schoefer @Schoefer_B]

Vielen Dank, @alexwulfers @FAZ_NET, für den tollen Artikel in der gestrigen FAS zu unserem neuen empirischen Papier zum Thema Unternehmensberatung!

Artikel:
https://t.co/xPzmVcZo7E

Link zum Paper:
https://t.co/wVFNyRvG1X

[Simon Jäger @simon_jaeger]

Toni Erdmann und Admin-Daten? Die @faznet bringt's zusammen! @alexwulfers zu unserem neuen Forschungspapier "What Does Consulting Do?" mit @bijneman und @Schoefer_B, indem wir uns mit belgischen Daten anschauen, welche Firmen Consultants nutzen und was passiert, wenn sie das tun