Why do firms use fixed-term contracts?

Arbeitspapier

Temporary forms of employment account for a variable but never trivial share of total employment in both the U.S. and in Europe. In this article we look at how one specific form of temporary employment - employment with fixed-term contracts - fits into employers' hiring policies. We find that human capital variables (schooling, skills and employer-provided training) as measured at the levels of the worker and the workplace are important determinants of the employers' decisions to hire with fixed-term contracts and to promote temporary workers to permanent positions. Those employers that hire more with fixed-term contracts are also those that are more likely to offer a permanent position to their newly-hired temporary employees. Our results indicate that fixed-term contracts are used as mechanisms for screening workers for permanent positions.

Angaben zum Objekt

• Sprache: Englisch

Verweise und Beziehungen

• Erschienen in: Series: IZA Discussion Papers ; No. 4380

Klassifikation und Themen

• Klassifikation: Wirtschaft ; Labor Demand ; Labor Contracts
• Thema: Fixed-term contracts ; adjustment costs ; labor demand ; Befristeter Arbeitsvertrag ; Arbeitsnachfrage ; Humankapital ; Anpassungskosten ; Theorie ; Portugal

Beteiligte, Orts- und Zeitangaben

• Ereignis: Geistige Schöpfung
• (wer): Portugal, Pedro ; Varejão, José
• Ereignis: Veröffentlichung
• (wer): Institute for the Study of Labor (IZA)
• (wo): Bonn
• (wann): 2009

Weitere Informationen

• Handle: http://hdl.handle.net/10419/35968
• URN: urn:nbn:de:101:1-200910085849
• Letzte Aktualisierung: 10.03.2025, 11:43 MEZ