Table 1 Variables used for the propensity score matching

Individual socio-demographic characteristics

Measured at the beginning of the unemployment spell: Marital status, nationality, age group, health problems, degree of disability, attained degree of schooling and education, recipient of unemployment benefits or assistance

Job characteristics

Blue or white collar worker, broad occupational classification, local rate of hiring to unemployment and local unemployment rate in the worker's occupation (three digit code)

Local labor market characteristics

Performance cluster of the regional labor market (Blien et  al. 2004)

Firm characteristics

Firm size class, sectoral affiliation, mean daily wage in firm (three categories), mean share of workers with university degree (two categories).

Individual labor market history

Participation in an active labor market program during the unemployment spell (seven categories)

Measured since the start of the unemployment spell: Duration until taking up the job

Measured at the start of the unemployment spell: Duration in employment (last three years) and duration in unemployment (last two years), participation in labor market programs (last two years), sanctioned through caseworker (last two years) and periods of illness (last two years)