Eurofound Says 18.8% of EU Jobs Were Vulnerable in 2021 as Spain Hit 29%
Updated
Updated · Euronews · Jul 21
Eurofound Says 18.8% of EU Jobs Were Vulnerable in 2021 as Spain Hit 29%
3 articles · Updated · Euronews · Jul 21
Summary
18.8% of EU jobs fell short on pay, security or workplace rights in 2021, according to Eurofound, putting nearly one in five workers in at least one vulnerability category.
Spain recorded the highest rate at 29%, followed by Portugal and Luxembourg at 25% and Italy at 24%, while Hungary was lowest at 17%; six countries were excluded for lack of 2021 data.
The share had risen from 21.4% in 2009 to 23.8% in 2014 after the financial crisis, then declined steadily from 2016 to below its pre-crisis level as temporary and part-time pressures eased.
Low pay drives vulnerability in Germany, Austria and much of eastern Europe, while insecure temporary or part-time work dominates in Mediterranean and Nordic countries; women, youth, migrants and other disadvantaged groups face higher risks.
Eurofound said stacked vulnerabilities, rather than a single weak dimension, are linked to poorer prospects and higher anxiety and depression, as the European Commission consults on a Quality Jobs Act.