Morris M. Kleiner
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Kleiner Morris M. Kleiner
In a new book, 'Licensing Occupations: Ensuring Quality or Restricting Competition?' (Upjohn Institute, 2006), Morris M. Kleiner, an economist at the University of Minnesota, questions whether occupational licensing has gone too far. He provides much evidence that the balance of occupational licensing has shifted away from protecting consumers and toward limiting the supply of workers in various professions. Although the exact number of workers in jobs that require a license is not available, Professor Kleiner conservatively estimates that 20 percent of workers in 2000 were in an occupation that was covered by a state licensing requirement, up from 5 percent in the 1950's. He said that licensing has increased because the service sector, where licensing is more prevalent, has grown rapidly and because more occupations have started requiring licenses. In a new book, ''Licensing Occupations: Ensuring Quality or Restricting Competition?'', an economist at the University of Minnesota, Morris M. Kleiner, questions whether occupational licensing has gone too far or not. He provides much evidence that the balance of occupational licensing has shifted away from protecting consumers to limiting the supply of workers in various professions. Although the exact number of workers in jobs that require a license is not available, Professor Kleiner conservatively estimates that 20 percent of workers in 2000 were in an occupation that was covered by a state licensing requirement, up from 5 percent in the 1950's.