New job matches and their stability before and during the crisis

Purpose
Using administrative data from the Spanish Social Security Administration, the purpose of this paper is to analyse the nature and stability of job matches starting during the economic boom in 2005 and during the recession in 2009.

Design/methodology/approach
The authors compare the individual, job, and firm characteristics in the two samples and estimate a competing risk model distinguishing job-to-job, job-to-unemployment, and other transitions.

Findings
The authors find that job-to-job transitions are pro-cyclical, while unemployment transitions are counter-cyclical. Individuals most affected by the economic crisis tend to be young males, living in regions with high unemployment rates, with low qualifications and working in manual occupations (particularly construction), and (especially Spanish speaking) immigrants.

Originality/value
The positive relation between job stability and firm size is stronger during the recession than during the boom.