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Employment status
Employment status refers to the contractual aspect of employment in terms of duration and number of working hours, incorporating economic risk, the autonomy and the authority which workers have in their jobs. The main categories are employee and self-employed. Employees are defined as someone who gets a salary from an employer or a temporary employment agency, with a distinction between employees with an unlimited or fixed-term contract. Self-employed persons can have employees. Across all workers a distinction can be made between those who work full-time and those who work part-time, either voluntarily or involuntarily.
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One in 11 EU employees forced to accept temporary or part-time employment
The proportion of employees involuntarily on temporary and part-time contracts has declined across the EU since 2015. The rate, however, remains high in southern Europe and is increasingly concentrated in a few service sectors. The employees on these contracts are mainly women and young workers.Employment and working conditions of the most vulnerable workers: Addressing an ongoing policy challenge
Over the past two decades, labour markets across the EU have seen a marked rise in non-standard employment. While such arrangements can offer flexibility and better work–life balance, vulnerability arises when they are involuntary or when multiple non-standard characteristics intersect. This report analyses the prevalence of employment vulnerability across the EU-27 from 2009 to 2021, examining its links to working conditions, health outcomes and policy responses. The findings show that women, young people and migrants face the highest risk, with those experiencing multiple dimensions of vulnerability reporting poorer job prospects, limited training opportunities, less autonomy and higher rates of anxiety and depression. The report also reviews EU and national policy measures aimed at strengthening contractual certainty and supporting transitions to more secure employment.Employment and working conditions of the most vulnerable workers
Over the past two decades, European labour markets have undergone significant transformation, with a marked rise in non-standard forms of employment such as part-time and temporary work. In this episode of Eurofound Talks, Mary McCaughey speaks with Eurofound expert Karel Fric to explore the employment and working conditions of the most vulnerable workers.Researchers at Eurofound provide expert insights and can be contacted for questions or media requests.
Carlos Vacas Soriano
Senior research managerCarlos Vacas Soriano is a senior research manager in the Employment unit at Eurofound. He works on topics related to wage and income inequalities, minimum wages, low pay, job quality, temporary employment and segmentation, and job quality. Prior to joining Eurofound in 2010, he worked as a macroeconomic analyst for the European Commission and as a researcher in European labour markets at the Spanish Central Bank. He holds an MA in European Economic Studies from the College of Europe in Bruges and a PhD in Labour Economics from the University of Salamanca (Doctor Europaeus).
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