Unemployment hysteresis by gender and youth in the EU: evidence from new factor PANIC unit root tests with breaks

Purpose Unemployment hysteresis is when the unemployment rate increases at the time of an economic shock and does not return to its previous level after the shock. Unemployment hysteresis is one of the most common economic diseases in labour markets. In this study, unemployment hysteresis is investigated for female, male, youth and general unemployment rates of EU countries. Design/methodology/approach The new factorial PANIC test was employed to ascertain the existence of hysteresis in the labour market in the EU countries between 1991 and 2023. Findings Although there are some countries where the hysteresis effect is not a priori valid, it is generally accepted that the hysteresis effect is valid in most European countries. Practical implications In order to enhance the labour markets of EU countries, it is recommended that active and passive employment policies be implemented in a more comprehensive manner. Originality/value While there are numerous studies that examine the phenomenon of unemployment hysteresis in relation to general unemployment rates, there are only a limited number of studies that examine it in relation to female, male and youth unemployment rates. Another significant contribution of the study is the utilisation of the new factorial PANIC unit root test approach developed by Payne et al. (2022).