Temporary Employment Contracts Research Articles

The effect of Brexit on British workers living in Portugal: a synthetic control method approach

Abstract The effect of Brexit is an important topic in European and British political agendas. In this study, we examine the effect of Brexit on the Portuguese labour market. We apply the synthetic control method to estimate how the number of UK citizens working in Portugal would have evolved if the Remain vote had won the referendum. Our results suggest that the Brexit referendum reduced the number of UK-dependent workers in Portugal, particularly in the case of non-university-educated, male individuals with temporary employment contracts. This reduction is explained by the decrease in the number of incomers. We also find that those UK citizens who were already working in Portugal before Brexit were more likely to continue working in the host country.

Grigory Alexandrovich Pushkin — an Employee of the State Library of the USSR Named after V.I. Lenin

The biography of Colonel Grigory Alexandrovich Pushkin (1868—1940), grandson of Alexander Pushkin, is reconstructed on the basis of unknown materials of the Manuscripts Department and the Archive of the Russian State Library (RSL). The article told about his service in the Imperial and Red Armies, his family and difficult financial situation after 1917. It is shown what bureaucratic difficulties accompanied the assignment of his personal pension in 1923 and subsequent assistance. Particular attention is paid to the solution of the housing problem and obtaining accommodation in Moscow.The Letters of G.A. Pushkin to G.P. Georgievsky (1919), V.D. Bonch-Bruevich (1933) and P.S. Popov (1933), are published in full for the first time, as well as letters from Yu.N. Pushkina to V.S. Nechaeva (1936) and from V.D. Bonch-Bruevich to G.A. Pushkin (1933), which are kept in the Manuscript Department of Russian State Library.Article restores the history of G.A. Pushkinʼs working at the State Library of the USSR named after V.I. Lenin based on the Personnel Files. From 1936 till 1938 he signed temporary employment contracts, while he worked on a permanent position only from January 1939 to January 1940.G.A. Pushkin’s biography is analyzed in the context of the social history of the Russian nobility after 1917 and its adaptation to the Soviet reality. The author concludes that the official persecution of the former elite promoted the appearance of the staff with wide knowledge, proficiency in foreign languages and organizational experience in the State Library of the USSR named after V.I. Lenin. They influenced the development of the library as a research center.

Are shorter cumulative temporary contracts worse stepping stones? Evidence from a quasi-natural experiment

Temporary employment contracts are often regarded as ‘stepping stones’ for workers’ careers, because they can help inexperienced workers secure a permanent contract. Our study evaluates whether this stepping-stone function is moderated by the contract duration, exploiting a Dutch policy reform that shortened the maximum duration of sequences of temporary contracts with the same employers from 3 years to 2 years. Leveraging a sharp regression discontinuity design and administrative register data, we show that the reform accelerated the transitions of temporary workers to permanent contracts with the same employers, with the effect being strongest among those working for the same employers for 1–2 years. We conclude that the reform brought more job security to temporary workers without impeding the stepping-stone function of their contracts.

Estimating a time series of temporary employment using a combination of survey and register data

In this paper we investigate the application of macro-integration methods to combine two sources of labor force statistics: a survey and an administrative source. In particular, we aim to arrive at a single estimate of the time series of temporary employment that efficiently combines the information from both sources. By varying the specifications of the objective function and constraints, four different macro-integration models were defined. The most plausible results were of a model that treats neither of the sources as fixed and uses multiplicative adjustments. The results were compared with the previous research where a latent Markov model was used to estimate the same time series. This Markov model approach does not lead to very different estimates of the time-series of temporary (or permanent) employment contracts but results in smaller estimates of the proportion of “movers”, persons that change contract status from temporary to permanent or the other way around. The model-based approach also provides estimates of the measurement errors in each of the sources. On the other hand, the macro-integration approach is less restrictive in the sense that it does not impose a Markov property of the integrated times series of proportions and it is more easy to implement.

Temporary work contracts and female labor market outcomes

How does initial placement in a temporary work contract affect workers’ subsequent labor market outcomes? We study a unique set of natural experiments: In the mid-1990s, the Japanese airline industry implemented a new hiring policy using temporary employment contracts. The policy was later reversed in the mid-2010s. Examining the universe of employment records from one of Japan’s major airlines as well as government surveys to compare outcomes for cohorts of flight attendants hired just before to those hired just after these changes in industry policy, we find that workers starting on temporary contracts were less likely to remain with the firm over time and are less likely to have children within 10 years after starting the job. These findings do not appear to be the result of selection on observables.

Reacting to Perceived Overqualification: Uniting Strain-Based and Self-Regulatory Adjustment Reactions and the Moderating Role of Formal Work Arrangements

Thus far, research on perceived overqualification has focused on either maladaptive, strain-based versus more adaptive, self-regulatory reactions in isolation. Following person-environment fit theory, we seek to advance this one-sided focus by uniting both types of adjustment reactions and to consider their implications for perceived person-job fit, and performance and wellbeing outcomes. In line with theory, we also examine contextual boundary conditions in the form of indicators of formal work arrangements (i.e., permanent vs. temporary employment contract and job tenure). Utilizing three-wave data from 453 employees, we found that perceived overqualification indirectly and sequentially related to decreases in task performance, organizational citizenship behavior and job satisfaction via anger toward employment situation and lower levels of perceived person-job fit—thus reflecting the strain-based pathway. For the self-regulatory pathway, findings did not align with our initial proposition that the positive relationship between perceived overqualification and work organization (a form of structural job crafting whereby employees improve their work processes) would be weaker among temporary employees and those with longer tenure. Instead, having a temporary employment contract or having longer job tenure resulted in a negative relationship between perceived overqualification and work organization, which further contributed to a decrease in performance and satisfaction via lower levels of perceived person-job fit. Our study highlights the demotivating role of a temporary employment contract and long job tenure for overqualified employees to reorganize their work. In discussing our findings, we point to the importance of job stage and develop recommendations for managing overqualified employees.

Some Aspects Regarding the Temporary Employment Contract

This material aims, through its content, to present some particularities of the temporary employment contract seen as an innovative tool at the European and national level to make labor relations more flexible. The article begins with the presentation of the legal framework applicable to this type of employment contract, it continues with the explanation of the concept and the specific features of the contract, and ends with some considerations regarding the duration for which it can be concluded. Special attention is paid to the contractual clauses, but also to the trial period.

Job change in the conditions of precarious work (on the example of the Republic of Bashkortostan permanent residents)

Job and profession change are basic forms of social and labour mobility. Unstable working conditions are typical for less developed in socio-economic terms regions. The purpose of the study is to identify the degree of influence of precarious employment and other socio-demographic and economic factors on the probability of job change among Bashkortostan residents. The empirical basis of the study is a sociological survey of the Republic of Bashkortostan population. According to the results obtained, such factors as working in a private enterprise, self-employment, short work experience and the presence of a temporary employment contract increase the likelihood of job change. Income satisfaction, official wage and the absence of credit debt reduce the probability of job change. Respondents who want to improve their level of education and qualifications, as well as those who do not work within their specialty, tend to change their place of work more often. The conducted research has shown that changing a job, as a rule, does not contribute to improving the financial situation and working conditions of respondents.

The Effect of Temporary Employment Contracts on Hotel Staff Performance

The Effect of Temporary Employment Contracts on Hotel Staff Performance

Temporary employment in Europe: stagnating rates and rising risks

ABSTRACT There is a perception that temporary employment is rising in Europe but there is little evidence to support this. If one takes the position that temporary employment should be rising due to large structural changes in European labor markets, then stagnating trends represents something of a puzzle. I examine the puzzle by applying a life-course approach to understand the distribution and trends in temporary employment among prime-age workers in 31 European countries. I compare and contrast changes in the temporary employment rate in a single period of time using cross-sectional data from the European Labour Force Survey (LFS), with changes in the risk of experiencing temporary employment in multiple periods of time using longitudinal data from the European Survey of Income and Living Conditions (SILC). Results from cross-sectional data suggest that between 1996 and 2007, the temporary employment rate increased in Europe by 28%, but between 2007 and 2019, there was little change. By contrast, results from panel data suggest that between 2013 and 2019, the risk of experiencing at least one temporary employment contract rose 36%. Over time, the temporary employment rate stagnated, but the temporary employment risk rose. The contribution provides insight into the nature of employment experiences associated with insecurity.

Analysis of the Psychosocial Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Nursing Staff of the Intensive Care Units (ICU) in Spain.

(1) The public health emergency, caused by COVID-19, has resulted in strong physical and mental exhaustion in healthcare workers. This research has been designed with the aim to describe the psychosocial impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on nurses working in intensive care units (ICU) and identify the related risk factors. (2) This is a cross-sectional study, in which a self-administered questionnaire was designed to cover the dimensions of interest associated with psychosocial factors during the pandemic and their factor risks. (3) A total of 456 nursing professionals participated, and 88.4% were women. Most of the professionals had a temporary contract (71.3%) and person at risk close to them (88.8%). Regarding psychosocial factors, there was a worsening in most of the associated variables, especially in sleep problems, anxiety, stress, and job performance. Female nurses were more prone to anxiety. Those under 30, as well as those with temporary contracts, were more unfocused. Professionals with a person at risk in their environment felt much more worried. The degree of exposure was associated with greater fear. (4) Those nurses who were female, younger, and with a temporary employment contract were shown to be more vulnerable to the impact of the pandemic on their psychosocial health. Because of this, it is necessary to adopt effective strategies for the protection of nurses’ health, focusing on the specific risk factors identified.

Temporary employment and suicidal ideation in COVID-19 pandemic in Japan: A cross-sectional nationwide survey.

ObjectivesAssociation between employment contract (temporary vs. permanent) and suicidal ideation (persistent suicidal ideation [i.e., with onset before COVID‐19] or newly developed under COVID‐19 pandemic) was examined using a nationally representative cross‐sectional study in Japan.MethodsAn Internet survey was conducted from August to September 2020. The participants’ inclusion criteria for this study were as follows: (i) 20–65 years old, (ii) employees (excluding self‐employed, students, retired, housewives, and unemployed). The associations of suicidal ideation with the employees’ factors were analyzed using the multinomial logistic regression model, adjusting for covariates (sex, age, marital status, education, company size, industries, and a history of psychiatric disease).ResultsOf total 12 249 participants, 72.4% were permanent and 27.6% were temporary employees. The prevalence was 8.5% for persistent suicidal ideation and 3.2% for newly developed suicidal ideation in the COVID‐19 pandemic. Temporary employment was significantly associated with persistent suicidal ideation (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = 1.36 [95% confidence interval, CI: 1.16–1.59]; P < .001), but not associated with newly developed suicidal ideation (aOR = 1.10 [0.85–1.42]; P = .457) after adjusting the covariates. Sensitivity analysis showed temporary employment was significantly associated with persistent suicidal ideation only in women. Newly developed suicidal ideation was significantly higher among participants of a young age, employees in drinking/eating/hotel business industry, and those having a history of psychiatric disease than among the counterparts.ConclusionsWorking on a temporary employment contract was associated with persistent suicidal ideation under conditions of COVID‐19 outbreaks in Japan. However, the result showed no significant difference in newly developed suicidal ideation. Further longitudinal study will be needed to examine the risk of being employed on an unstable occupational contract in the prolonged pandemic.

The Effect of Brexit on British Workers Living in the EU

The effect of Brexit is an important topic in the European and British political agendas. This study examines the perspective of the EU countries, with regards how British citizens working in an EU country reacted to the end of free movement of workers. Employing synthetic control methods and using data from Portugal, we estimate how the behaviour of UK citizens working in Portugal would have evolved if the Remain vote had won the referendum. Our results suggest that the Brexit referendum reduced the number of UK citizens working in Portugal, particularly in the case of non-university educated, male individuals with temporary employment contracts. This reduction is explained by the decrease in the number of incomers. We also find that those UK citizens who were already working in Portugal before Brexit are less likely to leave the country.

Contratti a termine, somministrazione e lavoro intermittente (artt. 4 e 6)

The contribution examines the forms of flexible work and the first company agreement signed between Just Eat Italia and the trade unions. The Agreement provides, in fact, that anyone who transports people or things discontinuously should be classified as an employee. The worker can be hired with an open-ended or temporary employment contract or even with an intermittent employment contract with an interminable or fixed term. The different possibilities of use of atypical forms of work and the consequences for riders are then examined, in a difficult balance between protection and flexibility.

Experience with coordination of care between primary care physicians and specialists and related factors.

The article analyzes the coordination of information and clinical management between levels of care in physicians' experience and explores related labor and organizational factors and attitudes towards the work and interaction. This is a cross-sectional study with application of the COORDENA-BR questionnaire to a sample of 64 primary health care (PHC) physicians and 56 specialized care (SC) from the public system in a medium-sized Brazilian city. The results show limited linkage of care in the Healthcare Network (RAS), with differences between PHC and SC. There is no exchange of information on diagnosis, treatment, or tests. Physicians in PHC agree more on the treatments prescribed by the specialists than vice versa, but repetition of tests is not frequent. PHC physicians refer patients to SC when necessary. Most medical specialists do not refer patients for follow-up consultations in PHC when necessary and do not give orientation to PHC physicians, who in turn fail to resolve their doubts with SC. Both PHC and specialties report long waiting times for specialist consultations. Temporary employment contracts are more common in PHC. Consultation time was considered too short for coordination between the two. Most physicians do not plan to change jobs, despite their heavy dissatisfaction with wages and work. Physicians do not know each other personally, and specialists do not identify physicians in PHC as the coordinators of care. Policies and measures to guarantee structural conditions to improve access, working conditions, and more favorable mutual adaptation need to be implemented systemically to the set of services in the Brazilian Unified National Health System (SUS).

Teachers on temporary employment contracts reveal more frequent consumption of pre-prepared food

The scope of this article is to analyze the eating behavior of schoolteachers according to the type of employment contract. Interviews were conducted at 20 public state schools in Londrina, State of Paraná, between 2012 and 2013. Of the 978 teachers interviewed, 672 (68.7%) had permanent employment contracts and 306 (31.3%) were on temporary employment contracts. High frequencies of recommended eating behaviors - consumption of fruit, vegetables and/or vegetables and removing visible fat from red meat - were observed in teachers with a permanent employment contract. On the other hand, teachers with temporary employment contracts revealed a high frequency of non-recommended eating behaviors with consumption of pre-prepared foods and packaged drinks or sodas. It was highlighted that a high frequency of consumption of pre-prepared foods was statistically associated with the type of employment contract irrespective of sociodemographic, lifestyle and health status factors.

Job insecurity, economic hardship, and sleep problems in a national sample of salaried workers in Spain

ObjectiveTo check for associations between various types of job insecurity and self-reported sleeping problems. DesignA population-based, cross-sectional study. SettingSpain, 2016. ParticipantsSalaried workers included in the third Psychosocial Risks Survey (n = 1807). Measurements: We investigated the association between 6 subjective and 2 attributed indicators of job insecurity (exposure) with 5 sleep problem variables (difficulty falling sleep, difficulty sleeping through the night, waking up too early, sleeping restlessly, and a composite variable summing all the sleeping problems) using Poisson regression, and controlling for socioeconomic, occupational, and demographic factors. ResultsAnticipating a salary decrease or working at a company where staff restructuring had occurred in the preceding year were associated with sleeping problems. Having a temporary or informal employment contract and most domains of perceived job insecurity were not a significant factor in adjusted models. ConclusionsRecent or anticipated economic hardship within a worker's household was the main predictor of sleeping problems. More research is needed to elucidate the exact mechanisms through which the experience of aspects of downsizing might manifest in disruptions to employees’ sleep. Sleep health should be an active part of all employee wellness programs.

Development of a new type of worker in the knowledge economy theory

The concept of a new type of worker in the framework of the knowledge economy paradigm has been analysed. The evolution of knowledge economy theory in the 21st century has been illustrated, i.e. it has been demonstrated that the progress in the new generation of Millennials` attitude towards work, social interactions`\, innovation infrastructures, socio-economic, legal and institutional changes cause the emergence and further development of a specific environment for a new type of workers activity. The most substantial research works of foreign scholars have been generalized. The intangible nature of the main productive force of the economic society, the necessity to generate, accumulate and distribute knowledge by knowledge and learning workers by means of personal contacts through knowledge networks have been emphasized. It has been concluded that there is a number of characteristics, which distinguish manual worker productivity and knowledge worker productivity. Knowledge workers are task-oriented, seek for personal responsibility and thus autonomy, associate themselves with continuous innovations and the most valuable asset of an organization, take part in simultaneous training and teaching. It has been pointed out that it is impossible to assess knowledge workers` impact on organizational performance applying only quantitative approach. A new type of workers as problem-solving professionals opts for a new type of flexible organization which management is ready for changes. As a perspective which has its reflections right now it has been shown that modern employees look more for temporary employment and short-term contracts. It has been revealed that so-called boundaryless careers are perceived as inter-organizational development concept by managers. That is why boundaryless careers become the background to accumulate and implement numerous skills and habits garnered by knowledge workers. It has been analysed that imagination and creativity, which are inherent traits of every new type worker, assure that knowledge workers produce new knowledge-intensive products demanded in the world market by a new type of consumers.

Contamination pathways of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) - From the worker to the family.

The improper recycling of old industrial sized capacitors and transformers in Dortmund, Germany, led to a contamination of workers and environment with polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). In 2010, a surveillance program was conducted for the former workers, their relatives, and residents next to the recycling company. In the human biomonitoring, elevated values for PCBs were detected in a proportion of the in-house relatives of the workers, including children. The aim of this study was to reconstruct the contamination pathways from the company to the family. Brought home working clothes of the former employees were identified as a first pathway for a contamination of the residential environment. Those clothes were cleaned at home, due to temporary employment contract. Washing machines and dryers were in consequence highly contaminated with PCBs. This led to a contamination of the relative's clothes and by this to a dermal uptake of PCBs. Another exposure pathway was the inhalation of PCB containing dust. In particular at locations, that were in contact with the working boots, high levels of PCBs were detected in the ambient monitoring. This established another exposure pathway by inhalation of PCB containing dust. The link between the residential influence factors and the PCB plasma concentration (n = 54) is shown by rank correlation. In conclusion, it should be avoided to take home potentially contaminated working clothes or boots, to prevent an exposure of children and other family members.

Temporary Employment Contracts and Household Income

It is widely accepted that temporary jobs tend to be associated with low pay which, in turn, will have negative consequences for household income. Evidence in support of such claims, however, is relatively thin. This study seeks to fill this void. In particular, it is both the first study to examine the consequences of temporary employment for workers’ household income within a multivariate framework, and the first to quantify the relative importance of the different channels through which temporary employment affects income. Regression and decomposition analyses are applied to longitudinal survey data from Australia, a country where the incidence of temporary forms of employment, and especially casual work, is very high by Western standards. Contrary to expectations, employment on a fixed-term contract is associated with significantly higher household incomes than permanent workers. In contrast, workers in casual and temporary agency employment are indeed found to live in households with lower average incomes than permanent workers. The estimated size of the income penalty is about 11% for temporary agency workers and 20% for casual employees. These differentials, however, are not primarily the result of lower wages, but instead are mainly due to the fewer hours worked by these groups. In the case of casual workers, lower annual individual earnings are partly offset by higher incomes of other household members. This compensatory effect, while not small, is still insufficient in size to fully close the income gap to permanent workers.