Eric Zwick

University of Chicago, National Bureau of Economic Research

Papers

Total Citations

H-Index

About

Eric Zwick is a leading scholar in public finance and labor economics, whose research illuminates the intersection of tax policy, health insurance, and inequality. His most influential work, "The Health Wedge and Labor Market Inequality" (2023), has already garnered over 11 citations, reflecting its timely and provocative contribution. In this paper, Zwick explores how employer-sponsored health insurance—a flat "head tax" per worker—distorts labor markets and exacerbates wage inequality. By developing and calibrating a stylized model, he demonstrates that this uniquely American approach to health coverage acts as a regressive wedge, disproportionately burdening lower-earning workers and shaping hiring, compensation, and job mobility. Zwick’s work offers a critical lens on how non-wage labor costs drive disparities, challenging policymakers to reconsider the design of social insurance. Beyond this, his broader portfolio examines tax evasion, corporate investment, and the economic effects of fiscal policy, earning him recognition as a rising force in applied microeconomics. For students and researchers, Zwick’s research is essential reading for understanding how institutional frictions—from health benefits to tax codes—reshape labor market outcomes and inequality in the modern economy.