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IZA
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Recent Developments in Part-Time Work in EU-15 Countries: Trends and Policy
by
Hielke Buddelmeyer, Gilles Mourre, Melanie E. Ward-Warmedinger
(November 2004)
Abstract:
A growing part-time employment share has been a main feature of a number of industrialized
countries over the past two decades. A considerable variation in the rate of part-time work is
evident by gender, age group, industrial sector and occupation. The stylized facts support the
view that part-time employment represents an important opportunity particularly for young,
older and female workers to enter the labour markets of the European Union. For the majority
of workers in these groups, the decision to work part-time has been a voluntary one, which is
all the more satisfactory in terms of welfare maximization.
Our results indicate that the development of the part-time employment rate over time and the
strong variation in the PTR across countries are significantly affected by policy and
institutions. In particular policy measures geared toward encouraging part-time work are
found to be positively related to actual part-time developments. These measures include both
the legal framework directly affecting part-time positions and the creation of financial
incentives (subsidies and improvement of social protection) to take up a part-time job.
Moreover, other labour market institutions, including benefit systems and the stringency of
employment protection legislation for regular contracts, are found to significantly but indirectly
influence the growth in part-time work.
Text: See Discussion Paper No. 1415
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