Henning Ottmer defended his PhD thesis on 23 October

About the thesis

The dissertation examines how pension and social insurance regulations affect individuals' labor supply, income, and access to welfare systems.

The first article analyzes the 1976 Swedish pension reform, in which the standard retirement age was lowered from 67 to 65. The study shows that employment among 66-year-olds declined sharply following the reform. The findings suggest that economic incentives, social norms, behavioral factors, and employer policies all influence when individuals leave the workforce.

The second article studies a reform that reduced immigrants' eligibility for the guaranteed pension. This reform resulted in lower pension income for those affected, while adult children within these families increased their labor supply and earnings. Conversely, there is little evidence that the affected individuals themselves compensated for the loss through increased work or savings.

The third article investigates the effects of granting immigrants greater access to what was previously known as disability pension (early retirement pension). The results show an increase in the number of recipients and a decline in employment, particularly among older individuals and groups with a weak attachment to the labor market. However, the impact on disposable income and health was limited.

About the defence

The opponent was Oddbjørn Raaum, Ragnar Frisch Centre for Economic Research, Oslo.

The grading committee consisted of Olle Jansson, Uppsala University, Erik Prawitz, Linnaeus University, and Helena Svaleryd, Uppsala University.

The supervisors were Lisa Laun, Institute for Evaluation of Labour Market and Education Policy (IFAU), and Olof Åslund, Uppsala University.