Brazilian Labor Market Research Articles

The Dynamics of Labour Informality in Brazil, 2003-2019

This article examines the evolution of labour informality in Brazil between 2003 and 2019, a period marked by strong political, economic and social inflections. In the first section, we offer a brief reflection on the terms of the historical debate on informality and its relation to the transformations of the Brazilian economy. In section two we describe the remarkable process of labour formalisation that took place in the country between 2003 and 2014, pointing out its exceptionality and principal determinants. In section three, we note the reversal of this formalisation trend. With the recession of 2015–2016, informal and precarious work increased sharply, exacerbated by newly flexible labour laws and the emergence of new precarious labour relations. We conclude that the Brazilian experience in this new century shows that the formalisation of labour relations is strongly related to more general conditions of economic development and the solidity of public institutions. Furthermore, and in contrast to the views held in mainstream economics, initiatives to simplify and ease the regulatory framework appear to coexist with increasing levels of precariousness and informal work. KEYWORDS: labour informality; Brazilian labour market; public policy; labour regulation; gig economy

The Gender Gap and COVID-19 Pandemic: An Analysis for Net Brazilian Formal Jobs Destruction

This paper aims to analyze the gender behavior in the Brazilian labor market due to the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The focus is on the jobs destruction or creation during the lockdown and social distancing implementations, covering the behavior all months of 2020. For this, we use the New General Register of Employed and Unemployed (NCAGED) and apply the Oaxaca-Blinder decomposition between the female and male net destruction jobs at municipal levels, considering individuals with 18 to 40 years. Furthermore, we verify the inequality for every month of 2020, pre-and post-implemented in pandemic context. We found evidence that the initial months were harmful to all formal workers but had even greater weight on women. Thus, another relevant contribution is in the inequality decomposition, where the findings show that it is largely due to structural effects.

Why is it so hard to belong? The difficulties of refugees in their integration processes within Brazilian society and labor market

Abstract The world has recently witnessed a social phenomenon that has been present during the entire history of humanity, but has now taken on greater proportions and impact: the large population displacements of refugees. According to the United Nations, more than 75 million people were in this situation worldwide at the end of 2017, a figure never observed before (UNHCR, 2017). Since 1951, more than 147 countries, including Brazil, have signed the United Nations Refugee Convention, which established obligations for signatory governments to provide refugees with legal and safe working conditions. Considering this context, this study aims to investigate the perceptions of refugees of different origins regarding the processes and difficulties of integrating into Brazilian society and labor market. The processes deal with bureaucratic barriers, cultural differences, ethnic-racial issues, and language, among others. The study uses a qualitative approach consisting of eight interviews in the city of Rio de Janeiro with refugees of a variety of nationalities and both genders. The results show that these respondents perceive a gap between public policies and practices involving refugees in the workplace, and also discrimination by the population, employers, and authorities, describing a multicultural rather than an intercultural context. Despite these challenges, respondents say they intend to continue living and working in Brazil.

Amendment 110/2001 and the Dynamics of Brazilian Labour Market

Amendment 110/2001 and the Dynamics of Brazilian Labour Market

Migration and Occupation in the Brazilian Labor Market

Individuals’ socioeconomic and demographic characteristics have always impacted their occupation. However, few empirical studies with census data have researched how migration af- fects occupation. Therefore, this paper aims to analyze the determining factors of occupation in migrants and non-migrants aged 15 to 60 years in Brazilian municipalities. The data are taken from 2000 and 2010 Brazilian Demographic Censuses. The literature is reviewed, and then multinomial logistic regressions are used. The results show that fixed-date inter-municipal migrants in Brazil experience worse forms of insertion in the labor market than non-migrants in both censuses under analysis.

The impact of postponing motherhood on women's income in Brazil

This paper investigates the impact of the postponement of motherhood on women’s earnings and gender gap in Brazilian labor market, based on data from Brazilian National Health Survey of 2013. Using the Heckman (1979) approach, the results suggest that postponing motherhood has a positive impact of 1.55% on earnings each year of postponement. By comparing men and women, the results suggest that being a woman generates a wage penalty of approximately 22%, but the postponing of motherhood can eliminate that gender gap, especially for those who are white, yellow, and higher educated.

DE QUEM É O CORPO QUE COMPÕE A FORÇA DE TRABALHO? REFLEXÕES SOBRE TRABALHADORAS/ES TRANS NO CONTEXTO DA COVID-19

Este artigo é parte de um esforço para compor uma análise acerca das condições de vida das trabalhadoras e trabalhadores trans no atual contexto da pandemia da Covid-19. Nesse processo é importante destacar a anterior dificuldade da inserção das travestis, das mulheres transexuais e dos homens transexuais no mercado de trabalho brasileiro. E em contextos de crise do capital, exploração intensa do trabalho e aumento do desemprego, a situação se agrava ainda mais. Com a pandemia da Covid-19 ocorreram mudanças significativas na vida das pessoas trans no Brasil, principalmente entre as mais impactadas pela pobreza, pelo racismo e por outras formas de desigualdade social. Palavras-Chave: Trabalho; Transexualidade; Covid-19;

Entre Kinshasa, Luanda e São Paulo: migração e educação nas trajetórias de solicitantes de refúgio angolanas no Brasil.

A presença de mulheres angolanas em São Paulo é narrada a partir das trajetórias migratórias das gerações anteriores, que também vivenciaram situações análogas a de refúgio. Suas experiências no Brasil como angolanas (não necessariamente lusófonas) e seus relatos acerca de deslocamentos entre Angola e República Democrática do Congo (RDC) no período da Guerra de Independência de Angola (1961-1974) e da Guerra Civil Angolana (1975-2002) são entrelaçadas pelas suas trajetórias educacionais e familiares. É relatada a permanência de dinâmicas educacionais coloniais no ensino dos idiomas francês e português em detrimento dos idiomas nacionais vinculados a grupos étnico-linguisticos, no contexto de formação de identidade nacional angolana no período pós-independência. O produto lingüístico de seu pouco domínio do idioma português é relacionado à sua dificuldade de inclusão no mercado de trabalho e o não reconhecimento de suas habilidades e certificações profissionais, situação que reforça sua posição como migrantes/refugiadas africanas no mercado de trabalho brasileiro.

Racial inequality in the Brazilian labor market and the role of education

Do differences in wages between white and black workers arise because of discrimination or because of differences in productivity? This report tries to answer this questions by analyzing recent patterns in racial inequality in the Brazilian labor market and education. In addition to that, we also discuss some of the most important works on racial inequality. We show that racial differences in earnings are large and persistent, even when we consider workers with higher education or in the same occupational group. Using data from Brazil, we show that a considerable part of racial gaps in wages are due to differences in education related to years of schooling, quality of education, and majors attended in college. We also present data on recent trends in educational inequality. Access to higher education has improved fast in Brazil in the last decades, especially among black youth. However, there are still large differences in access between black and white children. Black students in higher education attend less prestigious courses than their white counterparts. Moreover, the performance of black teens in exams by the end of high school is worse than that of white students, and recent trends suggest that these differences in performance are widening.

Processos de inclusão e exclusão da pessoa com deficiência visual no mercado de trabalho

ABSTRACT: This is an integrative literature review, in which extensive research was carried out in the databases of The Scientific Electronic Library Online - SciELO and in the Brazilian Digital Library of Theses and Dissertations, with the general objective of analyzing the productions that address or correlate the insertion of people with visual impairments (PCDV) in the Brazilian labor market, published between 2002 and 2018. From the established criteria, 15 (fifteen) surveys were selected for the final sample among articles, thesis and dissertations that contributed significantly, meeting the main objective of this integrative review. Based on the results, the discussions were organized to discuss the concept of disability, characterization of visual impairment, access to the labor market, quota law and rehabilitation centers. The analyzed results expressively reveal that the lack of inclusion of people with visual impairments in the labor market in the last 16 years is significant, pointing out the difficulties and opportunities of the last years, whether due to lack of study, training, adaptation to the new work environment or inclusion by quota law. KEYWORDS: Inclusion, Visual Impairment, Labor Market.

Does Exposure to More Women in Male-Dominated Fields Render Female Students More Career-Oriented?

The underrepresentation of women in male-dominated fields of study can generate a lack of role models for female students, which may influence their career choices. This paper sheds light on this question, investigating the existence of impacts of the gender composition of instructors and peers in the Department of Economics from a selective Brazilian university. Specifically, we analyze whether having higher shares of female professors and classmates throughout undergraduate studies in Economics affects female students' labor market outcomes. We use comprehensive administrative data from the University of Sao Paulo, containing information on students' academic results and students', instructors', and course sections' characteristics. We merge these data with Brazilian labor market and firm ownership data to obtain a broad range of career outcomes, including labor force participation, occupational choices, career progression, and wages. To overcome endogeneity issues arising from students' self-selection into professors and peers, we exploit the random assignment of students in the first-semester classes and focus on mandatory courses. A higher representation of women in a male-dominated field, such as Economics, increases female students' labor force participation. Moreover, larger female faculty shares increase the probability that a female student becomes a top manager. These results suggest ways to counteract the highly discussed glass ceiling in high-earning occupations. We show that students' academic performance and elective course-choice are not driving the effects. Instead, we find suggestive evidence that higher shares of female classmates may increase the likelihood of working during undergraduate studies, leading to stronger labor market attachment.

The superstar effect on colour discrimination in the Brazilian cultural labour market

The superstar effect on colour discrimination in the Brazilian cultural labour market

The Short-Term Impact of Covid-19 on Labor Markets, Poverty and Inequality in Brazil

We document the short-term impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the Brazilian labor market focusing on employment, wages and hours worked using the nationally representative household surveys PNAD-Continua and PNAD COVID. Sectors most susceptible to the shock because they are more contact-intensive and less teleworkable, such as construction, domestic services and hospitality, suffered large job losses and reductions in hours. Given low income workers experienced the largest decline in earnings, extreme poverty and the Gini coefficient based on labor income increased by around 9.2 and 5 percentage points, respectively, due to the immediate shock. The government’s broad based, temporary Emergency Aid transfer program more than offset the labor income losses for the bottom four deciles, however, such that poverty relative to the pre-COVID baseline fell. At a cost of around 4 percent of GDP in 2020 such support is not fiscally sustainable beyond the short-term and ended in late 2020. The challenge will be to avoid a sharp increase in poverty and inequality if the labor market does not pick up sufficiently fast in 2021.

Occupational segregation and wage differentials by gender and race in Brazil: evidence from a quantile decomposition

PurposeThis paper examines the role of occupational segregation in the evolution of wage differentials by gender and race in the Brazilian labor market between 2005 and 2015.Design/methodology/approachThe author uses microdata from the National Household Sample Survey and adopts two occupational integration typology to capture both horizontal and vertical segregation. The decomposition method proposed by Firpo et al. (2009) is employed to investigate the determinants of changes in differentials along the wage distribution.FindingsResults suggest a glass ceiling effect for all groups compared to white men. Gender and racial discrimination persist, especially at the top of the distribution. For both black women and men, observable characteristics account for most of the wage differentials, while for white women, the opposite occurs because of their education level. Vertical segregation behavior indicates that white men continue over-represented in higher-paid occupations. Although women improved their relative position in the occupational hierarchy, horizontal segregation behavior shows that their concentration in female-dominated occupations has not reduced, except in extreme quantiles. Education played a crucial role in reducing wage gaps, and regional differences stood out as a significant factor of the racial disadvantage.Originality/valueThe paper shows significant differences between the groups regarding verticalization and horizontalization of occupational structure along the wage distribution and over time, contributing to filling some gaps in the literature concerning the wage stratification based on gender and race in Brazil. Occupational segregation as a composition factor of the groups determines their positions in a vertically hierarchical and socially stratified occupational structure. The behavior of horizontal and vertical segregations evidences the continue under-valorization of female occupations and the barriers faced by racial and gendered groups to overcome the glass ceiling effect. Recognize the intersectionality of gender and race in addressing inequalities is fundamental to promote policies that overcome them.

Gender Discrimination in Brazilian Labour Market and the Role of the Private Sector

The objective of this paper is to discusses gender discrimination in the labour market in Brazil and understand the role that the private sector plays in both sustaining and fighting gender inequality and the wage gap. It does so through the analysis of main problems and challenges for the achievement of full gender equality. It is a study in the field of law, economics, and social science. The paper first reviews the history of gender equality in Brazil, highlighting both current problems and progresses, in particular in the area of legal protection of female workers. It then discusses current gender inequality issues and wage gaps in the workplace in Brazil and analyses the reasons for the persistence of such inequality. Finally, the paper discusses the role of the private sector in both sustaining gender discrimination and promoting gender equality. This paper acknowledge progress in the area of gender equality achieved in Brazil in the past two decades, but it considers that discrimination is the key persistent issue that needs to be addressed to completely eradicate this problem. In particular, special attention should be given to the role of the private sector – something that has been so far overlooked in Brazil.

Impactos da crise da Covid-19 no mercado de trabalho brasileiro

RESUMO Neste artigo analisam-se possíveis efeitos da crise econômica associada à pandemia da Covid-19 sobre o mercado de trabalho brasileiro. Na primeira parte do trabalho são analisados os dados recentes da PNAD Contínua para estabelecer um breve panorama do mercado de trabalho às vésperas da pandemia, destacando-se as principais tendências sobre a evolução do desemprego e da ocupação nos distintos setores de atividade econômica, bem como sobre os rendimentos do trabalho. Já na segunda parte do estudo são discutidas as medidas adotadas pelo Governo Federal no que se refere ao emprego e à renda e seus prováveis impactos sobre os trabalhadores. Finalmente, a terceira contém as considerações finais do trabalho, momento em que se procura elucidar os principais problemas para a agenda dos trabalhadores diante da nova conjuntura econômica, social e política do país.

Occupational legacy: An analysis of young people in rural work

This study aims to analyze the probability of young people living in rural areas performing the same occupations as their parents in the Brazilian labor market, based on the PNADC 2017 - National Continuous Household Sample Survey - and the measure of conditional probabilities. The results show that the profession of the young is marked by the family professional trajectory and family expectations. Male sons inherit their father's occupations, while daughters inherit their mother's occupations. Children whose fathers and mothers are in the same occupation, regardless of gender, are more likely to perform the same occupation as their parents, but this tendency is lower in single-parent families. Occupational legacy may promote a poverty trap whether occupation is secondary, with low wage and precarious work generating a vicious cycle of poverty. Young people are also influenced by their parents in relation to human capital, which will determine their occupation and work remuneration. The higher the educational level of young people the greater the chances of pursuing different professions from their parents. These results confirm the importance of education in rural areas, which contributes to a better quality of life for rural families.

Segregação ocupacional por sexo no mercado de trabalho brasileiro: uma análise de decomposição para o período 2004-2015

Este artigo analisa a evolução da segregação ocupacional por sexo no mercado de trabalho brasileiro de 2004 a 2015. Além da mensuração da segregação por meio de indicadores tradicionais, como o índice de dissimilaridade e o de Gini, utiliza-se a classe de medidas aditivamente decomponíveis proposta por Hutchens (2004), que permite decompor a segregação em duas parcelas: uma relacionada à segregação entre grandes grupos ocupacionais; e outra que corresponde a uma soma ponderada dos níveis de segregação dentro desses grupamentos. Os resultados mostram que a segregação aumentou entre 2004 e 2015, revertendo a tendência de queda que vinha sendo relatada na literatura referente a anos anteriores a esse período. A análise de decomposição indica que tal crescimento foi impulsionado pela segregação entre os grandes grupos ocupacionais, portanto, entre grupos com ocupações mais heterogêneas entre si. Conclui-se que, à medida que o nível da participação feminina no mercado de trabalho se estabiliza, o processo de integração das ocupações segundo o sexo também apresenta seus primeiros sinais de esgotamento.

Overeducation in the labour market: evidence from Brazil

ABSTRACT This paper analyses the prevalence of educational mismatch and its effects on wages in Brazil using a large employer-employee dataset. I find that half of the Brazilian labour market is mismatched, with similar proportions of over- and undereducated. Overeducated (undereducated) workers earn significantly lower (higher) than their co-workers who hold a well-matched job, and the penalty for overeducation is the same as the premium for undereducation. Moreover, the overeducation penalty is about half of the premium for going to university. Further, given the symmetry of the mismatch correcting it yields small effects on aggregate wages.

Modeling How Macroeconomic Shocks Affect Regional Employment: Analyzing the Brazilian Formal Labor Market Using the Global VAR Approach

Assessing linkages across different regions and how macroeconomic shocks spread out across regions is not an easy task. In this study we address this problem using a global vector autoregressive methodology that deals with the curse of dimensionality in an ingenious form. Focusing on the Brazilian labor market, identified and quantified how a shock in an aggregate economic activity spreads out regionally and throughout time. Another novelty of our work is the use of information collected by the Brazilian Bureau of Geography and Statistics to measure how regions are linked by analyzing infrastructure linkages of Brazilian municipalities in terms of airports, roads, ports, education, health, and tourism activities. Interdependence among regions is measured not only by closeness but also by considering economic linkages. In terms of regional sensitivity to macroeconomic shocks, we provide evidence that these shocks tend to cause stronger effects on the South, Southeast, and Midwest regions than the Northeast and North regions. This conclusion is in line with the idea that the formal labor market is better developed in the former regions than the latter. The South, Southeast, and Midwest regions in Brazil have better economic and social indicators.