Job Displacement and Occupational Downward Mobility

This project examines how involuntary job loss reshapes workers' occupational trajectories and why some workers are more vulnerable than others. Using data from the U.S. Displaced Worker Survey linked to occupational characteristics and local labor market conditions, the research investigates whether displaced workers remain in their previous occupations, switch occupations, or experience downward mobility after job loss. A key focus is heterogeneity: using machine learning methods, the project examines how the effects of displacement vary by age, job attributes, and labor market context.