This paper examines consumption changes of workers following experiences of unemployment in different stochastic environments. The model developed in the paper predicts that consumption changes following unemployment spells should be small for workers the higher are their layoff and recall probabilities. These predictions are confirmed in estimates with panel data.

This paper examines the controversial link between interest rates and prices by introducing interest costs into John Taylor's model of overlapping wage contracts. We find that the presence of interest costs does affect the stabilization process and can make the tradeoffs between output and price variability less favorable.