Involuntary temporary workers in Britain

Specific analyses of involuntary temporary work in Britain are largely absent from the flexibility debate. This article explores socio-economic predictors of involuntary temporary employment. We analyse Labour Force Survey (LFS) data, using logistic regression modelling to identify employees working in temporary jobs involuntarily. Our analyses suggest that involuntariness for temporary jobs is affected by a range of demographic and work-related factors considered. A household with cohabiting couples and dependent children, for example, reduces the likelihood of involuntariness among women, but it has a counter effect on men. Lower occupational levels, on the other hand, heighten involuntariness across both sexes