RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 The Impact of Repealing Sunday Closing Laws on Educational Attainment
JF Journal of Human Resources
JO J Hum Resour
FD University of Wisconsin Press
SP 286
OP 310
DO 10.3368/jhr.48.2.286
VO 48
IS 2
A1 Dara N. Lee
YR 2013
UL http://jhr.uwpress.org/content/48/2/286.abstract
AB Adolescents face daily tradeoffs between human capital investment, labor, and leisure. This paper exploits state variation in the repeal of Sunday closing laws to examine the impact of a distinct and plausibly exogenous rise in the quantity of competing diversions available to youth on their educational attainment. The results suggest that the repeals led to a significant decline in both years of education and the probability of high school completion. I explore increased employment and risky behaviors as potential mechanisms. Further, I find a corresponding decline of the repeals on adult wages.