JOB SEARCH AND UNEMPLOYMENT DURATION - IMPLICATIONS FOR THE SPATIAL MISMATCH HYPOTHESIS

This paper analyzes the relationship between unemployment duration and the spatial distribution of employment. It builds on the spatial mism atch literature by analyzing the role of access in a job search framew ork. A unique measure of access is created using municipal level emplo yment growth and a matrix of commuting times for the Pittsburgh Metrop olitan Area. Individuals with more access to employment are found to h ave shorter unemployment spells. The effect of access on unemployment duration is found to be sensitive to the specification of access. (C) 1997 Academic Press.