Возможные меры по снижению неформальной занятости и скрытой оплаты труда

Журнал Новой экономической ассоциации. 2018. № 1 (37). С. 193–203.

Sinyavskaya O., Biryukova S.

Existing research shows that the scopes of informal employment and hidden wages in Russia are relatively significant and increased even during the period of economic growth and tax reforms in 2000s. Consensus estimates of informal employment by different scholars cover 20-30% of the employed population. In addition, according to the results obtained in this study, from a fifth to one-third of the earnings of Russian employees receive hidden wages. The main contribution to the growth of Russian informal employment has been made by wage employment, related to the provision of personal services to individuals and households. A study of the structure of Russian informal employment and its characteristics shows that the growth of informal employment is associated with a decline in labor productivity and social protection and cannot be translated into the innovative economic growth. Previous research also shows that the growth of informal employment in Russia is primarily due to the imperfection of the institutional structures. International experience shows that prevalence of informal employment can only be lowered by implementing a comprehensive policy covering various areas of regulation, combining incentives and sanctions, including broader tasks for improving institutional environment, economic reforms, and changing social norms related to reducing the acceptability of informal relations. In this study, we develop a set of recommendations aimed at reducing informal employment and hidden wage, taking into account both international experience and recommendations, as well as the specifics of the causes of informal employment in Russia and the efforts already made by the Russian government in this direction.

Keywords: рынок труда, неформальная занятость, informal employment, labor market