2026
Automation and Human Capital Adjustment: The Effect of Robots on College Enrollment
Journal of Human Resources, 61(3), 733–760 · with Giuseppe Di Giacomo
Economist
Benjamin Lerch
I am an economist at the Swiss Federal Finance Administration and am also affiliated with Università della Svizzera italiana. My work focuses on applied economic questions related to public finances, climate change, demographics and automation.
I hold a PhD in Economics from Università della Svizzera italiana and an MSc in Applied Economic Analysis from the University of Bern. In 2022, I was a visiting researcher at the Department of Economics of Stanford University.
The views expressed on this website are my own.
Research
Peer-reviewed publications
2026
Robots and Non-participation in the United States: Where Have All the Workers Gone?
ILR Review, 79(1), 91–113 · with Giuseppe Di Giacomo
2025
Energy Transition and Public Finances: A Projection Framework for Switzerland
Climate Change Economics, 16(2), 1–31 · with Thomas Brändle, Roman Elbel, Martin Baur and Carsten Colombier
Based on Chapter 3 of the
2024 Fiscal Sustainability Report
for Switzerland
2025
From Blue- to Steel-Collar Jobs: The Decline in Employment Gaps?
American Economic Journal: Macroeconomics, 17(1), 126–160.
Featured in
AEA Research Highlights
Working papers and ongoing research
2026
Service Jobs and Education: Evidence from Tourism Shocks in Italy
R&R at Labour Economics · with Giuseppe Di Giacomo
Featured in The Economist · Forbes ITALIA
2025
Determinants of Healthcare Expenditure: Evidence from Switzerland between 1960–2022
R&R at The European Journal of Health Economics · with Carsten Colombier and Thomas Brändle
2026
Robots and Public Finances: Evidence from U.S. States
with Francesco Jacopo Pintus
2026
Healthcare Expenditure Projections for Switzerland up to 2060: Ageing and Reforms
R&R at The International Journal of Health Planning and Management · with Carsten Colombier and Thomas Brändle
2026
Fiscal Impacts of Temperature Variability in Switzerland
with Francesco Jacopo Pintus and Patricio Velasquez
Policy
Energy and climate · Demographics · Labor markets · Other
Energy transition and climate change
2025
Clima e pensioni: Due mondi, ma solo in apparenza
Corriere del Ticino · 18 October 2025
2025
Macroeconomics of Green and Resilient Transitions
Coalition of Finance Ministers for Climate Action · 16 June 2025 · with Thomas Brändle and Martin Baur
Fiscal impacts of the net zero target within fiscal sustainability analysis
Introduction of a replacement levy on electric vehicles
2025
Transizione ecologica in cerca di sostenibilità fiscale
Lavoce.info · 14 January 2025
2024
Belastet die Klimapolitik die öffentlichen Finanzen?
Die Volkswirtschaft · 25 June 2024 · with Thomas Brändle, Martin Baur and Roman Elbel
Demographic change and health
2026
Niedrige Geburtenraten: Kann die Familienpolitik gegensteuern?
Soziale Sicherheit CHSS · 8 October 2026 · with Thomas Brändle and Martin Baur
2026
Low fertility rates: A fiscal policy perspective
Federal Finance Administration Working Paper No. 30 · September 2026 · with Thomas Brändle and Martin Baur
2026
Gesundheitsausgaben steigen: Reformbedarf bis 2060
Soziale Sicherheit CHSS · 5 May 2026 · with Carsten Colombier and Thomas Brändle
2026
Healthcare Expenditure Projections for Switzerland up to 2060: Ageing and Reforms
Federal Finance Administration Working Paper No. 29 · March 2026 · with Thomas Brändle and Carsten Colombier
2025
Warum die Gesundheitsausgaben steigen
Die Volkswirtschaft · 4 September 2025 · with Carsten Colombier and Thomas Brändle
2025
Determinants of Healthcare Expenditure: Evidence from Switzerland between 1960–2022
Federal Finance Administration Working Paper No. 27 · June 2025 · with Thomas Brändle and Carsten Colombier
2024
Die Alterung verursacht Zusatzlasten für den Staat
Die Volkswirtschaft · 25 June 2024 · with Carsten Colombier and Thomas Brändle
2024
2024 Fiscal Sustainability Report: Ageing and Net-Zero Target
Federal Department of Finance · Chapter 2 · 23 April 2024 · with Carsten Colombier, Thomas Brändle and Martin Baur
Automation and labor markets
2026
Robots and Non-Participation: Evidence and Lessons from the US and Europe
EconPol Policy Brief 83(10) · 19 May 2026 · with Giuseppe Di Giacomo
2026
Agenti AI: stiamo delegando anche il pensiero?
Corriere del Ticino · 23 April 2026
2023
The Human-Technology Showdown through the Eyes of AI
9 January 2023
2022
Wie können wir mit dem technologischen Wandel Schritt halten?
Ökonomenstimme · 20 April 2022 · with Giuseppe Di Giacomo
2022
The importance of human capital in the era of automation
LSE Business Review · 13 April 2022 · with Giuseppe Di Giacomo
2022
Per lavoratori e robot un futuro di convivenza
Lavoce.info · 16 March 2022 · with Giuseppe Di Giacomo
2022
I robot fanno studiare di più
Lavoce.info · 28 January 2022 · with Giuseppe Di Giacomo
2021
Quarta rivoluzione industriale, sì ma sostenibile e inclusiva
Corriere del Ticino · 18 May 2021 · with Giovanni Pica.
2021
Der Aufstieg der Roboter und der Rückgang der Erwerbsbeteiligung
Ökonomenstimme · 23 March 2021
2020
Il futuro del lavoro nell’era dell’automazione
Corriere del Ticino · 25 November 2020
Other topics
2025
Deutschland lockert seine Schuldenbremse
Die Volkswirtschaft · 5 August 2025 · with Thomas Brändle and Samuel Schmassmann
2025
Dove aumenta il turismo diminuiscono i laureati
Lavoce.info · 7 April 2025 · with Giuseppe Di Giacomo
2018
Wie machen Gemeinden mehr aus ihrem Geld?
Schweizer Gemeinde 3/2018 · with Markus C. Arnold, David Lips and Ramon Sprecher