Türkiye's Earthquake Reality: The Labor Market Effects of the February 6, 2023 Earthquakes

The February 6 earthquakes went down in Turkish history as the disaster of the century and were two of the largest earthquakes Turkiye has ever faced. Based on the lack of literature examining the effects of the February 6 earthquakes on the labor market, this study aimed to determine how the February 6 earthquakes affected the labor market. First, a descriptive analysis was conducted using labor market data (labor force participation rate, employment, and unemployment rate) from 11 provinces. The descriptive analysis found that post-earthquake employment and unemployment rates data in 2024 was better than in 2022, and recovery was observed. Second, to measure the impact of the earthquake on the labor market in Türkiye, a structural break was investigated in the monthly data for the 2021M01-2025M05 period. The Bai-Perron unit root test was applied, and structural breaks were found in the labor force participation rate, employment rate, and unemployment rate during the period when the earthquake's impact was visible.