Abstract
BackgroundEmployment and unemployment are key determinants of health inequalities and should be a priority when discussing policies to reduce such inequalities. Our aim is to investigate how flexicurity policies across European countries impact on the employment chances for people with low education and activity limitations.MethodsThe longitudinal EU-SILC dataset, pooled 2005–2010, was used to calculate labour market outcomes. The sample consisted of 25 countries and 19,881 individuals. The employment transitions of non-employed people with activity limitations was followed from one year to the next, and the outcomes were rates of return-to work (RTW) among those with low education, and relative equality of RTW between those with low and high education (rate ratio, RR).Data on flexicurity policy and labour market factors were accessed from Eurostat and the OECD. As policy data was only available for OECD countries, the sample was reduced to 21 countries. Fuzzy-set QCA (Qualitative Comparative Analysis) was used to examine how different combinations of the components of flexicurity were linked to the two outcomes.ResultsWhere high rates of RTW were achieved, high employment rates were always present. In five countries (the Nordic countries and the Netherlands) these factors coexisted with high expenditure on active labour market policies and social services in old age. In three others (The Czech Republic, UK and Estonia) they were combined with low employment protection and low benefit expenditure. For equality in RTW, low unemployment rates were combined with either high benefit expenditure, or low employment protection.ConclusionWe found two routes that lead to high RTW: we characterise these as the high road and the low road. Taking the low road (relaxing employment protection and limiting benefits) may be a tempting option for poorly performing countries. However, without measures to stimulate female employment it may not be enough as high overall employment is so important in enabling people with activity limitations to access the labour market. To achieve equality in RTW, it seems that as long as unemployment is low, either flexibility or security is sufficient.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1186/s12889-016-3482-2) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.
Highlights
Employment and unemployment are key determinants of health inequalities and should be a priority when discussing policies to reduce such inequalities
We found two routes that lead to high return-to work (RTW): we characterise these as the high road and the low road
Without measures to stimulate female employment it may not be enough as high overall employment is so important in enabling people with activity limitations to access the labour market
Summary
Employment and unemployment are key determinants of health inequalities and should be a priority when discussing policies to reduce such inequalities. Our aim is to investigate how flexicurity policies across European countries impact on the employment chances for people with low education and activity limitations. Employment is a key determinant of both health and health inequalities and should be a priority when discussing policies to reduce such inequalities in the wake of the recession. Research suggests that greater investments in active labor market policies (ALMP) directed at the unemployed or employers, such as training and wage subsidies, can improve the chances of people with activity limitations finding employment [2]. The European Commission suggest four core dimensions of flexicurity: flexible and reliable contractual arrangements; comprehensive lifelong learning strategies; effective labour market policies; and modern social security systems (further divided into security systems and reconciliation of work and private life) [9]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
