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How Governments Try to Influence Employment

By Allen Krewzz
Published July 5, 2026Updated July 5, 2026
How Governments Try to Influence Employment

Three Broad Categories of Tools

Fiscal Policy: Spending and Taxation

Monetary Policy: Interest Rates and Borrowing Costs

Labor-Market Programs: Direct Support for Workers

Labor-market programs tend to target specific types of unemployment — training programs are generally aimed at structural mismatches, while insurance programs are aimed at cushioning the impact of unemployment regardless of its underlying cause.

Comparing the Tools

Why No Single Tool Solves Unemployment Alone

Common Mistakes

Conclusion