Duration of Non-standard Employment

Abstract

Non-standard employment is fairly common in Canada, accounting for almost two in five workers aged\n16 to 69. Concerns about nonstandard work arise because workers in these jobs tend to have low earnings and are more likely to live in low-income families. They also face greater risk of unemployment and enjoy fewer employer- or government-sponsored benefits.\n\nAdding fuel to these concerns is the persistence of nonstandard employment among the people who hold\nthese jobs. For example, of the five million Canadians\nin non-standard jobs in 1999; half remained in such\njobs throughout the following two years. Older workers\n(45 to 69) were particularly susceptible.\n\nThe potentially negative aspects of non-standard work\nare mitigated by many individuals choosing selfemployment,\nor temporary or part-time jobs. Moreover, non-standard work often serves as a gateway to standard employment. For example, some 60% of individuals without jobs in 1999 who were subsequently employed in 2000 or 2001 initially found nonstandard work. And the temporary nature of non-standard work among youth indicates that for this group non-standard work is typically a stepping stone to permanent full-time employment.