De arbeidsmarktpositie van flexibele werknemers: bewijs van een gesegmenteerde arbeidsmarkt?

This article is about differences in the labour market position between flexible and permanent workers. Following the well-known ?flexible-firm? model van Atkinson and in accordance with segmentation theory, we can assume that flexible workers will have a worse labour market position compared to permanent workers. We have tested this assumption using two different indicators of the career of workers, respectively changes in the job level and chances to become unemployed. Our main conclusions are: 1) the job level of jobs held by flexible workers is somewhat lower compared to jobs held by permanent workers; 2) flexible workers have a somewhat higher chance to become unemployed compared to permanent workers; 3) there are large differences with respect to these two indicators between several categories of flexible workers. Overall, the empirical results give some support to the assumptions of segmentation theory. The rival ?waiting-room hypothesis? (which assumes that flexible workers will catch up an initial disadvantaged position) is not supported.