Work precarity and vulnerability
“Precarious” is a word often used to describe work that is characterized by low pay, low job security and little protection. “Vulnerable” is a word often used in the health and safety world to describe those who are at an increased risk of work injury or disease. At the Institute for Work & Health (IWH), an evidence-based framework has been developed that defines OHS vulnerability as being exposed to hazards without having adequate protection. This page pulls together research on OHS vulnerability and work precarity.
Featured
At Work article
Higher risk of work injuries found among those in precarious jobs: IWH study
Workers in jobs likely to be precarious are more likely to experience a work-related injury or illness in Ontario, including COVID-19. That’s according to a pair of studies that examined whether employment conditions are linked to the rate of work injuries.
Published: September 12, 2024
Journal article
Journal article
The association between total social exposure and incident multimorbidity: a population-based cohort study
Published: SSM - Population Health, January 2025
IWH in the media
Cobbling together multiple jobs to make a living...What's the real cost on you?
Filling your spare time with side hustles can put more money in your pocket, but what will it cost you? In an episode of Ontario Today, host Amanda Pfeffer and guest Deena Ladd take calls from listeners. They also mention an IWH study on the link between injury risks and precarious work, conducted by Dr. Faraz Vahid Shahidi (at 24m 24s).
Published: CBC Radio One, September 2024
At Work article
Higher risk of work injuries found among those in precarious jobs: IWH study
Workers in jobs where precarious employment conditions are more common are more likely to experience a work-related injury or illness in Ontario, including COVID-19. That’s according to a pair of studies authored by Institute for Work & Health (IWH) researchers that examined whether employment conditions—for example, temporary contracts, involuntary part-time hours, irregular schedules and low wages—may be linked to the rate of work injuries.
Published: September 2024
Journal article
Journal article
On-demand and marketplace platforms: gig care work conditions on two digital labour platform care models
Published: Critical Sociology, September 2024
Journal article
Journal article
Is precarious employment an occupational hazard? Evidence from Ontario, Canada
Published: Occupational and Environmental Medicine, August 2024
Journal article
Journal article
Precarious employment and the workplace transmission of COVID-19: evidence from workers' compensation claims in Ontario, Canada
Published: Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health, August 2024
Journal article
Journal article
The health and safety experiences of precariously employed Bangladeshi immigrant workers in Toronto during the COVID-19 pandemic
Published: New Solutions, May 2024
Journal article
Journal article
"…full of opportunities, but not for everyone": a narrative inquiry into mechanisms of labor market inequity among precariously employed gay, bisexual, and queer men
Published: American Journal of Industrial Medicine, April 2024
Project
Project
Job quality and wellbeing in Canada: generating insights on the new world of work
Amid shifting labour market conditions in Canada, including the rise of precarious employment and of low quality jobs, this project will describe the current landscape of job quality in Canada and examine the relationship between job quality and wellbeing.
Status: Ongoing
IWH Speaker Series
IWH Speaker Series
Is precarious employment an occupational hazard?
Precarious employment has become more common in the Canadian labour market, as well as in the labour markets of other high-income countries. In this presentation, Dr. Faraz Vahid Shahidi examines the consequences of precarious employment for health and safety at work. Drawing on compensation claims data from the Workplace Safety and Insurance Board and labour force estimates from Statistics Canada, Dr. Shahidi asks whether workers exposed to precarious employment – such as temporary, part-time, and low-wage jobs – are more likely to experience an occupational injury or illness. As a further source of evidence, he also assesses the impact of precarious employment on the workplace transmission of COVID-19.
Published: February 2024