The impact of repealing Sunday closing laws on educational attainment

Type Journal Article - Journal of Human Resources
Title The impact of repealing Sunday closing laws on educational attainment
Author(s)
Volume 48
Issue 2
Publication (Day/Month/Year) 2013
Page numbers 286-310
URL https://economics.missouri.edu/working-papers/2011/wp1118_leedn.pdf
Abstract
Adolescents face daily trade-offs between human capital
investment, labor, and leisure. This paper exploits state variation in
the repeal of Sunday closing laws to examine the impact of a
distinct and plausibly exogenous rise in the quantity of competing
diversions available to youth on their educational attainment. The
results suggest that the repeals led to a significant decline in both
years of education and the probability of high school completion. I
explore increased employment opportunities and risky behaviors as
potential mechanisms. Further, I find a corresponding decline of
the repeals on adult wages.

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