Publisher:
ZBW - Deutsche Zentralbibliothek für Wirtschaftswissenschaften, Leibniz-Informationszentrum Wirtschaft, Kiel, Hamburg
Abstract:
This paper examines magnitudes and business cycle dynamics of social security contributions (SSC). In most OECD countries studied, we document a negative covariation of payroll tax burdens with GDP and GDP growth at business cycle frequencies and lower. Changes in average payroll tax burdens are mostly accounted for by tax schedule changes, and not to changes in the earnings distribution over time. SSC rates behave similarly to estimated values of the “labor wedge” (Chari et al. 2007, 2016).