Laura Schmitz

Laura Schmitz

Applied microeconomist

Federal Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (BAuA) DIW Berlin

I evaluate how social, labour-market and environmental policies affect health, human capital and inequality. My work has covered air pollution, driving restrictions, extreme heat, carbon pricing and childcare; minimum wages are the current focus.

At the BAuA I work in the secretariat of Germany's statutory Minimum Wage Commission, where I lead the commission's evaluation projects and contribute to its reports. I am also affiliated with DIW Berlin, where I did my PhD and worked as a postdoctoral researcher. Before that I worked on social protection and employment policy at the International Labour Organization.

Curriculum vitae laura.schmitz@geschaeftstelle-mindestlohn.de

Laura Schmitz

Research

Publications and forthcoming

  1. Journal of Environmental Economics and Management2025

    From low emission zone to academic track: Environmental policy effects on educational achievement in elementary school

    with Johannes Brehm, Nico Pestel and Sandra Schaffner

  2. Journal of Human Capitalforthcoming

    Heterogeneous effects of after-school care on child development

    single-authored

  3. Zeitschrift für Soziologie 53(3), 314–3302024

    Socioeconomic differences in private school attendance: How much does the geographical distribution of private schools explain?

    with Marcel Helbig

Under review

  1. R&R (2nd round), Journal of Public Economics2025

    Understanding the link between heat and intimate partner violence

    with Adrián Santonja and Judit Vall

  2. R&R, Journal of Environmental Economics and Management2024

    Environmental regulation and mental health: Evidence from driving restrictions

    with Johannes Brehm, Henri Gruhl and Robin Kottmann

  3. Reject & Resubmit, Journal of the Association of Environmental and Resource Economists2025

    Information, justice and public support for carbon tax-and-benefit policies: Evidence from Germany

    with Sandra Bohmann, Lars Felder, Peter Haan, Merve Kücük and Jürgen Schupp

Working papers

  1. DIW Discussion Paper 21722026

    Globalized consumption undermines efficiency-driven sustainability gains across planetary boundaries

    with Sonja Dobkowitz, Claudia Kemfert, Alexander Kriwoluzky, Gregor Maxton and Kristin Trautmann

Before the PhD

  1. International Labour Office, Geneva2016

    The IMF and the social dimension of growth: A content analysis of recent Article IV surveillance reports

    with Nikhil Ray

Policy work

  1. DIW Wochenbericht 6/20252025

    Mehr Klarheit schaffen: Klimageld als sozialer Ausgleich bei höheren CO₂-Preisen

    with Sandra Bohmann, Lars Felder, Peter Haan, Claudia Kemfert, Merve Kücük and Jürgen Schupp

  2. DIW Wochenbericht 91(47), 733–7412024

    Umweltzonen in Deutschland: Emissionsbegrenzungen verbessern Bildung und psychische Gesundheit

    with Johannes Brehm, Henri Gruhl, Robin Kottmann, Nico Pestel and Sandra Schaffner

  3. DIW Wochenbericht 51/52, 683–6902022
  4. DIW Wochenbericht 48, 635–6422022
  5. Book chapter, Beltz2021

    Familiale, individuelle und institutionelle Einflussfaktoren auf Bildungsungleichheiten

    with Mathias Huebener, C. Katharina Spieß and Sabine Zinn — in: D. Dohmen & K. Hurrelmann (eds.), Generation Corona? Wie Kinder und Jugendliche durch die Pandemie benachteiligt werden

  6. DIW Weekly Report 10(34), 345–3542020
  7. DIW aktuell 302020

Media and commentary

  1. DER SPIEGEL 362024
  2. DIW Nachgeforscht2022
  3. Bildung.Table, guest article2022
  4. Frankfurter Rundschau, guest article2022
  5. Die Welt2021

    Lernlücken fürs Leben

Contact

Email

laura.schmitz@geschaetsstelle-mindestlohn.de

Post

Geschäfts- und Informationsstelle für den Mindestlohn
c/o Bundesanstalt für Arbeitsschutz und Arbeitsmedizin
Nöldnerstraße 40–42
10317 Berlin, Germany