TY - UNPB

T1 - Are flexible contracts bad for workers? Evidence from job satisfaction data

AU - Green, C

AU - Heywood, J S

PY - 2007

Y1 - 2007

N2 - If workers can choose between permanent and flexible contracts, compensating wage differentials should arise to equalize on-the-job utility in the two types of contracts. Estimating job satisfaction using the British Household Panel Survey shows that agency and casual contracts are associated with routinely lower satisfaction. This results because the low job satisfaction associated with less job security is not offset by higher compensation or other job characteristics. Job security is sufficiently important that holding constant this one facet of satisfaction eliminates the overall gap in job satisfaction between flexible and permanent contracts.

AB - If workers can choose between permanent and flexible contracts, compensating wage differentials should arise to equalize on-the-job utility in the two types of contracts. Estimating job satisfaction using the British Household Panel Survey shows that agency and casual contracts are associated with routinely lower satisfaction. This results because the low job satisfaction associated with less job security is not offset by higher compensation or other job characteristics. Job security is sufficiently important that holding constant this one facet of satisfaction eliminates the overall gap in job satisfaction between flexible and permanent contracts.

KW - Flexible Contracts

KW - Job Satisfaction

KW - Job Security

M3 - Working paper

T3 - Economics Working Paper Series

BT - Are flexible contracts bad for workers? Evidence from job satisfaction data

PB - The Department of Economics

CY - Lancaster University

ER -