Proefschrift: Protection of precarious workers in the EU

Proefschrift: Protection of precarious workers in the EU

The traditional concept of employment, which involved fixed, permanent contracts, with full time hours and security in work has gradually been replaced by a model of employment that prioritises the development of competitive labour markets through increased flexibility in work. This shift has resulted in 'precarious' work: forms on non-standard employment that places the individual in a situation where they have little security in work or power over their working situation. Examples of precarious employment include platform work, zero-hour and on-demand contracts, the repeated use of temporary/short-term contracts, and bogus/false self-employment.
This doctoral thesis asks what level of protection is available to EU migrant workers engaged in precarious employment, who must navigate complex national migration and social security rules linked to their employment status. The thesis assesses how the legal framework applicable to precarious workers risks excluding them from certain protections and suggests how EU migrant workers can be better protected under EU law.