This course provides a broad introduction to the economic analysis of labour market issues. The topics to be covered are: labour supply, including determinants of labour market participation and hours of works; labour demand; labour market equilibrium and wage determination; compensating wage differentials; investments in human capital and returns to education; earnings distribution; labour mobility; labour market discrimination; role of unions; incentive pay; and unemployment. Policy applications will be emphasized.

Learning Outcomes

Upon successful completion, students will have the knowledge and skills to:

1. describe institutions and historical trends in labour markets;
2. apply basic economic analysis to a wide range of labour market issues;
3. explain the sources of individual differences in wages and employment;
4.  interpret labour market statistics and empirical evidence in academic papers and policy reports;
5. critically evaluate government policies affecting labour markets, particularly their effects on wages and employment.

Research-Led Teaching

The course will cover recent research in the area of labour economics. Recent papers on labour economics topics will be provided on the Course Canvas site, often as suggested optional readings. When feasible the main findings of those papers will be discussed in class.

Examination Material or equipment

The mid-semester exam is an invigilated closed-book exam run by the teaching team. The final exam is an invigilated closed-book exam run by the Examinations division. A non-programmable calculator is permitted in both mid-semester and final exams.

Required Resources

The prescribed textbook is Borjas, George (2020), Labor Economics (8th edition), McGraw-Hill. This textbook is available as eBook in the ANU Library.

Recommended Resources

Other recommended textbooks for Labour Economics and Industrial Relations are:

• Cahuc, Pierre; Carcillo, Stéphane and Zylberberg, André (2014), Labor economics (2nd edition), MIT Press.
• Laing, Derek (2011), Labor economics: Introduction to the Classic and New Labor Economics (1st edition), Norton.
• Note: Sydsaeter, K. and Hammond, P. (2006), Essential Mathematics for Economic Analysis, Prentice Hall (Pubs) may be useful for background mathematical techniques. Your existing microeconomics text may also be useful for background microeconomics concepts.

All textbooks will be placed on the Reserve Collection. There will be a link to the Reserve Collection on the Course Canvas site. Cahuc et al. (2014) and Laing (2011) are available as eBook in the ANU Library.

Staff Feedback

Students will be given feedback in the following forms in this course:

• The solutions to quiz questions will be provided online and/or discussed in lectures upon release of results.
• Written comments, if relevant, will be included with the pieces of assessment returned to students.
• Verbal comments, if necessary, will be provided during consultation time.

Student Feedback

ANU is committed to the demonstration of educational excellence and regularly seeks feedback from students. Students are encouraged to offer feedback directly to their Course Convener or through their College and Course representatives (if applicable). The feedback given in these surveys is anonymous and provides the Colleges, University Education Committee and Academic Board with opportunities to recognise excellent teaching, and opportunities for improvement. The Surveys and Evaluation website provides more information on student surveys at ANU and reports on the feedback provided on ANU courses.

Other Information

Announcements

Students are expected to check the Course Canvas site for announcements about this course.

Communication

The course email address is econ2009@anu.edu.au . The weekly email reply hour is Monday 9-10am. The Research School of Economics discourages personal emails to lecturers (and back) regarding course instruction and administration. Emails from students not going to the course email address should go to enquiries.rse@anu.edu.au.

Workload

Students taking this course are expected to commit at least 10 hours a week to completing the work. This includes:

• 2 hours a week: lecture;
• 1 hour a week: tutorial;
• At least 7 hours a week: reading, research, writing, lecture and tutorial preparation.

Course delivery

• The Undergraduate version of Labour Economics and Industrial Relations (ECON2009) consists of a two-hour lecture (Echo360 recorded), starting week 1, and a one-hour tutorial (not recorded) per week, starting week 2. For more detailed information, see participation section above.
• The Graduate version of Labour Economics and Industrial Relations (ECON6041) consists of the activities indicated above, to cover common material with ECON2009, and an additional one-hour interactive workshop (not recorded) in weeks 9-12 to cover additional more advanced material.

Recommended readings

A table including recommended readings for each topic will be provided on Canvas.

Other relevant information

• Handouts, in the form of brief PowerPoint presentations, will be provided before the lecture. Occasionally, more detailed documents will be provided for topics for which this is deemed necessary. All these documents will be available on Canvas.
• Students should note that the PowerPoint handouts are to be regarded as a guide to the referenced material. Recommended readings are included in the table mentioned above and in the last page of each handout. Students should regularly consult these references.
• Tutorial answers are not posted on Canvas. Tutorial questions are provided for practice and are to be attempted before the tutorial. We do not expect that students will be able to solve all questions beforehand, but the attempt may raise particular queries/doubts that can be discussed during the tutorial. If after the tutorial a student still has follow-up queries/doubts, the student is welcome to clarify them during consultation or, if the student believes that it is a question that would benefit the full class, the student is welcome to post the question in the Question Forum on Canvas. 
• All quizzes will be run using the Canvas Quiz tool. A practice Canvas quiz will be made available in week 3 to allow students to familiarise themselves with the quiz environment.

Class Schedule

Week/Session	Summary of Activities	Assessment
1	Lecture 1 - Topic 1: Introduction to labour economics
2	Lecture 2 -Topic 2: Labour supply; Tutorial 1
3	Lecture 3 -Topic 3: Labour demand; Tutorial 2	Practice Canvas Quiz available
4	Lecture 4 - Topic 4: Labour market equilibrium; Tutorial 3	Quiz 1
5	Lecture 5 - Topic 5: Compensating wage differentials; Tutorial 4
6	Lecture 6 - Topic 6: Human capital; Tutorial 5	Mid-Semester Exam
7	Lecture 7 -Topic 7: Wage distribution; Tutorial 6
8	Lecture 8 - Topic 8: Labour mobility; Tutorial 7	Quiz 2
9	Lecture 9 - Topic 9: Labour market discrimination; Tutorial 8
10	Lecture 10 - Topic 10: Labour unions; Tutorial 9	Quiz 3
11	Lecture 11 - Topic 11: Incentive pay; Tutorial 10
12	Lecture 12 - Topic 12: Unemployment; Tutorial 11

Tutorial Registration

There will be face-to-face one-hour tutorials each week, starting teaching week 2. Each student will need to register in one tutorial group. ANU utilises MyTimetable to enable students to view the timetable for their enrolled courses, browse, then self-allocate to small teaching activities/tutorials so they can better plan their time and easily access a personal timetable. Tutorial registration will be available two weeks prior to the beginning of the semester and will close at the end of week 1. More details can be found on the ANU Timetable webpage. 

Assessment Summary

Assessment task	Value	Due Date	Return of assessment	Learning Outcomes
Tutorial Engagement	10 %	*	*	1,2,3,4,5
Quiz 1	5 %	20/03/2026	27/03/2026	1,2,3
Mid-Semester Exam	25 %	30/03/2026	23/04/2026	1,2,3,4
Quiz 2	5 %	01/05/2026	08/05/2026	1,2,3,4,5
Quiz 3	5 %	15/05/2026	22/05/2026	1,2,3,4,5
Final Exam	50 %	*	*	1,2,3,4,5

* If the Due Date and Return of Assessment date are blank, see the Assessment Tab for specific Assessment Task details

Policies

ANU has educational policies, procedures and guidelines, which are designed to ensure that staff and students are aware of the University’s academic standards, and implement them. Students are expected to have read the Academic Misconduct Rule before the commencement of their course. Other key policies and guidelines include:

• Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure
• Special Assessment Consideration Policy and General Information
• Student Surveys and Evaluations
• Deferred Examinations
• Student Complaint Resolution Policy and Procedure

Assessment Requirements

The ANU is using Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website Students may choose not to submit assessment items through Turnitin. In this instance you will be required to submit, alongside the assessment item itself, hard copies of all references included in the assessment item.

Moderation of Assessment

Marks that are allocated during Semester are to be considered provisional until formalised by the College examiners meeting at the end of each Semester. If appropriate, some moderation of marks might be applied prior to final results being released.

Participation

There are no marks allocated for attendance but participation in lectures and tutorials, while not compulsory, is expected in line with Code of Practice for Teaching and Learning 2(b).

• Lectures will be delivered on campus. Lecture recordings will be made available in Echo360 (See ANU timetable for details on day, time and location). Lectures start in week 1. It is expected that students attend lectures whenever possible and come prepared to them. The handouts and other relevant information for each lecture will be available before each lecture on Canvas. For those students unable to attend lectures it is expected that they engage with the lecture recordings and other material provided online on a weekly basis.
• Tutorials will be delivered on campus (See tutorial registration information above). Tutorial meetings start in week 2. Tutorials are discussion-based classes. It is expected that students prepare for tutorials in advance and come ready to answer questions about the problems assigned for each week's tutorial. For pedagogical reasons, based on over 25 years of teaching experience, worked solutions of the weekly problem sets will not be provided. Students who, through unavoidable and unplanned occurrences, are unable to attend a tutorial class one week are encouraged to work through the problems and attend a consultation session to check their answers and discuss any remaining doubts. More detailed information about tutors and tutorials will be available on Canvas.

Examination(s)

See assessment tasks 3 and 6.

Assessment Task 1

Tutorial Engagement

In each tutorial tutors will check students' attempts at the weekly problem set and allocate 1 mark for demonstration of a reasonably complete attempt, 0.5 marks for demonstration of partial attempt, and 0 marks for no attempt. Students are hence strongly encouraged to come to tutorials prepared, having clearly attempted the weekly problem sets and reviewed the lecture material. The overall tutorial engagement mark, which makes up 10% of the overall course grade, will be the arithmetic average of the 8 highest marks obtained in the 11 tutorials. If the student misses more than 3 tutorial engagement marks for a legitimate documented reason they may submit an Extenuating Circumstances Application (ECA) at the end of semester for reweighting. At the end of week 6, students will receive feedback about their tutorial attempt marks for the first half of the semester.

Assessment Task 2

Quiz 1

There will be 3 online quizzes throughout the semester. The quizzes are compulsory and non-redeemable. Each quiz counts for 5% of the final grade. The precise topics covered in each quiz will be announced on Canvas at least one week before the quiz. The quizzes consist of a mix of multiple-choice and numerical questions. The quizzes will open at 5:00 pm on Thursday and close at 5:00 pm on Friday in weeks 4, 8 and 10. Once started, students will have 30 minutes to complete the quiz and may attempt it only once. Students are responsible for starting the quiz at a time that allows them to complete it before the closing time. The default setting will allow free navigation (i.e. it will be possible to move backwards between questions); however, if any breach of academic integrity is detected, all remaining quizzes will switch to sequential navigation (i.e. it will not be possible to move backwards). Instructions will be provided at the beginning of each quiz and must be read carefully before commencing. No late submissions will be accepted. If a student misses a quiz for a legitimate documented reason, they may apply for extension up to 5 working days using the Assessment Extension Request (AER). If not possible to complete the quiz within 5 working days, they may submit an Extenuating Circumstances Application (ECA) at the end of semester for reweighting. Quiz answers will be discussed in lectures after the release of results. All quizzes will be administered using the Canvas Quiz tool. A practice Canvas quiz will be made available in week 3 to allow students to familiarise themselves with the quiz environment.

Assessment Task 3

Mid-Semester Exam

The mid-semester exam will take place in Melville Hall (Building 12, Room G01) on Monday 30 March from 5:15 to 6:45 pm. The mid-semester exam is an invigilated, closed-book assessment run by the teaching team. A non-programmable calculator is permitted. The mid-semester exam counts for 25% of the final grade and is redeemable with the final exam. The mid-semester exam consists of a mix of multiple-choice, short-answer, and essay-type questions and is to be completed in 90 minutes. The mid-semester exam will assess topics 1 to 4, including material from lectures and tutorials. Final details, including a sample mid-semester exam paper, will be provided no later than week 4 on the Course Canvas site. Students are expected to check the Course Canvas site regularly for announcements.

Assessment Task 4

Quiz 2

There will be 3 online quizzes throughout the semester. The quizzes are compulsory and non-redeemable. Each quiz counts for 5% of the final grade. The precise topics covered in each quiz will be announced on Canvas at least one week before the quiz. The quizzes consist of a mix of multiple-choice and numerical questions. The quizzes will open at 5:00 pm on Thursday and close at 5:00 pm on Friday in weeks 4, 8 and 10. Once started, students will have 30 minutes to complete the quiz and may attempt it only once. Students are responsible for starting the quiz at a time that allows them to complete it before the closing time. The default setting will allow free navigation (i.e. it will be possible to move backwards between questions); however, if any breach of academic integrity is detected, all remaining quizzes will switch to sequential navigation (i.e. it will not be possible to move backwards). Instructions will be provided at the beginning of each quiz and must be read carefully before commencing. No late submissions will be accepted. If a student misses a quiz for a legitimate documented reason, they may apply for extension up to 5 working days using the Assessment Extension Request (AER). If not possible to complete the quiz within 5 working days, they may submit an Extenuating Circumstances Application (ECA) at the end of semester for reweighting. Quiz answers will be discussed in lectures after the release of results. All quizzes will be administered using the Canvas Quiz tool. A practice Canvas quiz will be made available in week 3 to allow students to familiarise themselves with the quiz environment.

Assessment Task 5

Quiz 3

There will be 3 online quizzes throughout the semester. The quizzes are compulsory and non-redeemable. Each quiz counts for 5% of the final grade. The precise topics covered in each quiz will be announced on Canvas at least one week before the quiz. The quizzes consist of a mix of multiple-choice and numerical questions. The quizzes will open at 5:00 pm on Thursday and close at 5:00 pm on Friday in weeks 4, 8 and 10. Once started, students will have 30 minutes to complete the quiz and may attempt it only once. Students are responsible for starting the quiz at a time that allows them to complete it before the closing time. The default setting will allow free navigation (i.e. it will be possible to move backwards between questions); however, if any breach of academic integrity is detected, all remaining quizzes will switch to sequential navigation (i.e. it will not be possible to move backwards). Instructions will be provided at the beginning of each quiz and must be read carefully before commencing. No late submissions will be accepted. If a student misses a quiz for a legitimate documented reason, they may apply for extension up to 5 working days using the Assessment Extension Request (AER). If not possible to complete the quiz within 5 working days, they may submit an Extenuating Circumstances Application (ECA) at the end of semester for reweighting. Quiz answers will be discussed in lectures after the release of results. All quizzes will be administered using the Canvas Quiz tool. A practice Canvas quiz will be made available in week 3 to allow students to familiarise themselves with the quiz environment.

Assessment Task 6

Final Exam

The final exam is an invigilated, closed-book assessment run by the Examinations division. A non-programmable calculator is permitted. The final exam is compulsory and non-redeemable, will consist of a mix of multiple-choice, short-answer, and essay-type questions and is to be completed in 180 minutes and will count 50% of the final grade. The final exam will assess all material covered in the course. Final details, including a sample final exam, will be provided no later than week 10 on the Course Canvas site. The precise date will be announced in the official final examination timetable. Students are expected to check the Course Canvas site regularly for announcements.

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a core part of our culture as a community of scholars. At its heart, academic integrity is about behaving ethically. This means that all members of the community commit to honest and responsible scholarly practice and to upholding these values with respect and fairness. The Australian National University commits to embedding the values of academic integrity in our teaching and learning. We ensure that all members of our community understand how to engage in academic work in ways that are consistent with, and actively support academic integrity. The ANU expects staff and students to uphold high standards of academic integrity and act ethically and honestly, to ensure the quality and value of the qualification that you will graduate with. The University has policies and procedures in place to promote academic integrity and manage academic misconduct. Visit the following Academic honesty & plagiarism website for more information about academic integrity and what the ANU considers academic misconduct. The ANU offers a number of services to assist students with their assignments, examinations, and other learning activities. The Academic Skills and Learning Centre offers a number of workshops and seminars that you may find useful for your studies.

Online Submission

The ANU uses Turnitin to enhance student citation and referencing techniques, and to assess assignment submissions as a component of the University's approach to managing Academic Integrity. While the use of Turnitin is not mandatory, the ANU highly recommends Turnitin is used by both teaching staff and students. For additional information regarding Turnitin please visit the ANU Online website.

Hardcopy Submission

For some forms of assessment (handwritten assignments, art works, laboratory notes, etc.) hard copy submission is appropriate when approved by the Associate Dean (Education). Hard copy submissions must utilise the Assignment Cover Sheet. Please keep a copy of tasks completed for your records.

Late Submission

Late submission is not permitted. If an assessment task is submitted after the due date without a granted extension, a mark of 0 will be awarded.

Referencing Requirements

Accepted academic practice for referencing sources that you use in presentations can be found via the links on the Wattle site, under the file named “ANU and College Policies, Program Information, Student Support Services and Assessment”. Alternatively, you can seek help through the Students Learning Development website.

Returning Assignments

There is currently no assignment listed in the assessment schedule. However, as a general rule, if an assignment is included, the original submission and any feedback is made available on Canvas no later than two weeks after the assignment due date, with an announcement made on Canvas.

Extensions and Penalties

Extensions and late submission of assessment pieces are covered by the Student Assessment (Coursework) Policy and Procedure The Course Convener may grant extensions for assessment pieces that are not examinations or take-home examinations. If you need an extension, you must request an extension in writing on or before the due date. If you have documented and appropriate medical evidence that demonstrates you were not able to request an extension on or before the due date, you may be able to request it after the due date.

Resubmission of Assignments

Resubmission of assignments is not permitted.

Privacy Notice

The ANU has made a number of third party, online, databases available for students to use. Use of each online database is conditional on student end users first agreeing to the database licensor’s terms of service and/or privacy policy. Students should read these carefully. In some cases student end users will be required to register an account with the database licensor and submit personal information, including their: first name; last name; ANU email address; and other information. In cases where student end users are asked to submit ‘content’ to a database, such as an assignment or short answers, the database licensor may only use the student’s ‘content’ in accordance with the terms of service — including any (copyright) licence the student grants to the database licensor. Any personal information or content a student submits may be stored by the licensor, potentially offshore, and will be used to process the database service in accordance with the licensors terms of service and/or privacy policy. If any student chooses not to agree to the database licensor’s terms of service or privacy policy, the student will not be able to access and use the database. In these circumstances students should contact their lecturer to enquire about alternative arrangements that are available.

Distribution of grades policy

Academic Quality Assurance Committee monitors the performance of students, including attrition, further study and employment rates and grade distribution, and College reports on quality assurance processes for assessment activities, including alignment with national and international disciplinary and interdisciplinary standards, as well as qualification type learning outcomes. Since first semester 1994, ANU uses a grading scale for all courses. This grading scale is used by all academic areas of the University.

Support for students

The University offers students support through several different services. You may contact the services listed below directly or seek advice from your Course Convener, Student Administrators, or your College and Course representatives (if applicable).

• ANU Health, safety & wellbeing for medical services, counselling, mental health and spiritual support
• ANU Diversity and inclusion for students with a disability or ongoing or chronic illness
• ANU Dean of Students for confidential, impartial advice and help to resolve problems between students and the academic or administrative areas of the University
• ANU Academic Skills and Learning Centre supports you make your own decisions about how you learn and manage your workload.
• ANU Counselling Centre promotes, supports and enhances mental health and wellbeing within the University student community.
• ANUSA supports and represents undergraduate and ANU College students
• PARSA supports and represents postgraduate and research students