Christopher J. O'Leary

Chris O’Leary’s research aims to identify ways of improving public employment policies including both unemployment insurance and active labor market programs.

Chris O’Leary’s unemployment insurance (UI) research has examined experience rating, benefit adequacy, profiling, and personal reemployment accounts. Through field experiments he has studied UI programs for reemployment bonuses, partial benefits, and work sharing. In Canada, China, Brazil, Hungary, Poland, and Serbia he has done impact evaluations and performance monitoring systems for job training, wage subsidies, self-employment assistance, and public service employment. His research has been supported by the World Bank, ILO, and OECD. Recently for the U.S. departments of Labor, Agriculture, and Health and Human Services he has analyzed cross program usage of UI, welfare, food stamps, and employment services. O’Leary earned a BA at the University of Massachusetts and a PhD in economics from the University of Arizona. He was elected to the National Academy of Social Insurance in 1999.

Research Highlights

Upjohn Institute staff presenting at 2022 ASSA conference

January 6, 2022 · Research Highlight
The conference was held remotely Jan. 7-9

State unemployment insurance reserves won't be enough for a recession

March 23, 2020 · Research Highlight
An average recession would cause 18 states to exhaust their unemployment insurance reserves.

An Unemployment Insurance COVID-19 Crisis Response

March 12, 2020 · Research Highlight

Unemployment insurance reforms reduce layoffs

February 25, 2020 · Research Highlight

How to fix a broken unemployment insurance system

June 19, 2018 · Research Highlight

UI research highlights from 2015

December 24, 2015 · Research Highlight

Improving workforce programs for older workers

April 17, 2015 · Research Highlight