National Context and Atypical Employment

Debra Hevenstone, University of Michigan

“Atypical” employment is a term used to describe many forms of employment that are not full-time, permanent jobs, through a single, direct employer. This paper examines the macro level factors that contribute to the level of three types of atypical employment (fixed-term, part-time, and self employment) in the oecd countries. Three hypotheses are tested: Are atypical work arrangements the product of a more entrepreneurial culture? Do constraints on firms’ hiring, firing, and other human resources policies encourage atypical work? And do economic constraints encourage workers to accept atypical employment? The causal relationship between the three hypotheses and levels of atypical employment are delineated for each of the three types of atypical employment.