Protection of Atypical Work and Family Benefits: Comparison of the Australian, German and British Social Security Systems

Abstract

In defining atypical work, this paper encompasses part‐time work, casual and temporary work, outwork/homework/telework and small self‐employment. All three national social security systems are very selective and inflexible in protecting these forms of work as they are modeled according to the dominant pattern of full‐time, continuous employment. As atypical work is women's work, it is also regulated by social security benefits for the other part of women's work—domestic work. Family benefits have a very ambiguous function. They provide some means to escape from private dependency and they sometimes even recognize domestic work as insured normal labor market work. On the other side, they were also intended to subsidize the low wages of marginal work and allow only for a small amount of paid work, especially atypical work, while on benefit. Thus, they also structured and sustained the segmentation of labor market work and domestic work.