Precarious Employment

Precarious employment in Europe: Patterns, trends and policy strategies

Sponsor: European Parliament, DG IPOL; Brussels

Partners: IDEA Consult, Institute for Employment Studies, Institute for Structural Research, Public Policy and Management Institute (PPMI), University of Amsterdam, Amsterdam Institute for Advanced Labour Studies

Duration: 01.09.2015 – 30.9.2016

The degree to which "precarious" employment exists in labor markets differs greatly between European countries. Commissioned by the European Parliament, IZA provided a transnational account of precarious employment conditions in Europe. The experts applied a multidimensional framework and considered different types of employment (such as permanent full-time, part-time, temporary work or self-employment) with regard to their dissemination and the degree of "precariaty". The study included additional quality aspects of work, such as access to training and career opportunities, remuneration, employment stability and health issues. The report combines a literature review with national case studies and quantitative analysis using data from the European Labour Force Survey and the European Working Conditions Survey. It shows large differences in job quality across EU countries, sectors and types of employment. The scheme developed by IZA and its partners also examines the main drivers of these developments, such as institutional reforms, technological progress, or globalization, and assesses which policy interventions may lead to less "precariousness".