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The rise in precarious work has had a disproportionate impact on racialized workers, women, Aboriginal people, persons with disabilities, and young people. Characteristics of these types of employment include low pay, no job security, poor and often unsafe working conditions, intensive labour, excessive hours and low or no benefits. More and more workers are resorting to employment service agencies to find work leaving them vulnerable to exploitation and wage theft.
These workers and new immigrants are disproportionately over-represented in precarious work, as a consequence of their vulnerability. This translates into lower incomes and occupational status than other Canadians. Although those in precarious employment are covered by some legislation that prohibits discrimination based on employment status, in most Canadian jurisdictions, it is inadequate and not effectively enforced. The remedies include policy initiatives that cover anti-discrimination legislation, strong enforcement of employment standards legislation, employment equity and pay equity legislation for precarious workers.
Check out: Poverty and Employment Precarity in Southern Ontario: It’s More than Poverty: Employment Precarity and Household Well-being
Check out: Vulnerable Workers and Precarious Work, by the Law Commission of Ontario
Check out: Improving Protection for Marginalized Workers, ESA, by Sheila Block
