Consequences of Routine Work-Schedule Instability for Worker Health and Well-Being

The impact of perceived environmental competitiveness on employee mental health: a moderated mediation model of job crafting and work-family conflict

Drawing from the conservation of resources theory, this study proposes that individuals who perceive environmental competitiveness may improve their mental health through their job crafting behaviors at work. Data were collected from 450 full-time Chinese employees using a three-wave time-lagged approach. The results showed that perceived environmental competitiveness is positively correlated with job crafting, and job crafting has a positive relationship with mental health. Moreover, the results indicated that job crafting mediates the relationship between perceived environmental competitiveness and mental health. Additionally, the present study found that work-family conflict plays a moderating role in the relationships among environmental competitiveness, job crafting and mental health. A moderated mediation model was proposed in this study. Finally, theoretical and practical implications of this study are also discussed.

Labor market pathways to job quality mobility in the service sector: Evidence from the "Great Resignation"

Since the mid-1970s, there has been a sharp rise in the prevalence of "bad jobs" in the U.S. labor market, characterized by stagnant wages, unstable work schedules, and limited fringe benefits. Scholarly, policy, and public debate persists, however, about whether these jobs can serve as steppingstones to intra-generational job quality mobility or are instead "poverty traps." While scholarship increasingly recognizes the multi-dimensional nature of job quality, prior research on intra-generational job mobility overwhelmingly estimates only wage mobility and generally focuses on estimating the degree of mobility, to the exclusion of the contexts and mechanisms that foster such mobility. We draw on new panel data collected from 8600 hourly service sector workers between 2017 and 2022 to estimate short-run mobility into good jobs, defined as paying at least $15/hour, having a stable work schedule, and offering paid sick leave, employer-sponsored health insurance, and retirement benefits. Overall, we find that mobility into such "good jobs" is low. However, we show that the rate of transition into "good jobs" is strongly conditioned by local labor market conditions: during the "Great Resignation" and in low state-month unemployment periods, nearly twice the share of workers transitioned to "good jobs" as in less favorable contexts, particularly workers who changed sector as opposed to staying at the same firm or taking new jobs in the service sector. Notably, during periods of labor market tightness, workers who stayed at the same employer had similar rates of mobility into "good jobs" as those who changed employers within the sector.

The impact of alternative arrangements, contingent jobs, and work secured through an app on the well-being of working age adults: Results from the California Work and Health Survey

BACKGROUND

There is recognition of the growing prevalence of alternative work arrangements, contingent jobs, and work secured through an app. However, there have been few systematic efforts to understand the impact of these forms of work on individuals and households.

METHODS

The data derive from the California Work and Health Survey administered to a sample of the working age population of the state solicited through random-digit dialing of cell phone numbers. 4014 individuals completed the survey, 26% of those with an in-service cell phone number. We present odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals from logistic regression estimating the impact of being an independent contractor, in other forms of alternative work arrangements, in contingent jobs, and in work secured through an app, on economic and health status and working conditions in main jobs, with and without adjustment for covariates.

RESULTS

Several of the forms of work analyzed are associated with lower earnings and higher rates of wage theft, household poverty, benefit recipiency, and expectation of hardships in food, housing, and medical care in the immediate future. Association between the forms of work and current health status is less consistent. However, several forms of work are associated with working conditions known to be risk factors for subsequent health problems.

CONCLUSIONS

Public policy to mitigate the adverse impacts of work, largely developed in the 20th Century when there was an identified workplace, may be insufficient to protect workers' well-being for alternative work arrangements, contingent jobs, and work secured through an app.

The Fulfillment Center Intervention Study: Protocol for a group-randomized control trial of a participatory workplace intervention

Warehousing and storage is an economically vital industry, with 1.2 million workers in 2020. The Fulfillment Center Intervention Study focuses on workers in fulfillment centers in the e-commerce segment of this industry. Fulfillment centers are a growing yet understudied work environment which provides a unique setting to further examine how working conditions and worker voice influence health. The Study involves a group-randomized controlled trial comparing participants in worksites randomized to launch the participatory intervention (Health and Well-Being Committees, or HaWCs) with participants working for the same firm in control sites. HaWCs serve as a new formal voice channel where a small group of frontline workers and supervisors solicit workers' concerns and ideas about safety (e.g., physical hazards), the psychosocial environment (e.g., how workers feel about their treatment at work), and work organization (e.g., workflow, training opportunities, scheduling) and then develop and implement improvement projects in response. The primary objectives of the study are to evaluate the efficacy of the HaWC intervention and its effect on mental health outcomes and changes in the conditions of work within fulfillment centers, and to conduct a process evaluation of key contextual factors that support effective intervention implementation and sustained engagement. To our knowledge, this will be the first trial of a participatory intervention within a fulfillment center setting. Anticipated challenges include competing demands and company initiatives that may limit management support and high turnover. Should the intervention be shown to be feasible, the outcomes from this study will inform future randomized controlled trials of participatory interventions. Trial registration: This trial is registered with the ClinicalTrials.gov registry (NCT05199415) and approved by the Institutional Review Board (IRB) at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Protocol: 200800024).

Cumulative Unionization and Physical Health Disparities among Older Adults

Whereas previous research shows that union membership is associated with improved health, static measurements have been used to test dynamic theories linking the two. We construct a novel measure of cumulative unionization, tracking individuals across their entire careers, to examine health consequences in older adulthood. We use data from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics (1970-2019) and predict self-rated health, functional limitations, and chronic health conditions in ages 60 to 79 using cumulative unionization measured during respondents' careers. Results from growth models show that unionized careers are associated with .25 SD to .30 SD improvements in health among older adults across all measures. Analyses of life course mechanisms reveal heterogeneous effects across unionization timing, age in older adulthood, and birth cohort. Moreover, subgroup analyses reveal unionization to partially, but not fully, ameliorate disparities based on privileged social positions. Our findings reveal a substantial and novel mechanism driving older adulthood health disparities.

Peeking under the Hood of Job Stress: How Men and Women's Stress Levels Vary by Typologies of Job Quality and Family Composition

Changes to work and family norms and polices over the last several decades have reshaped both the job quality and the nature of job and family formation in the United States. Neoliberal policies have generated a slew of flexible but precarious working conditions; labor force participation is now the modal path for all genders regardless of parental or marital status. Leveraging data on 3,419 working men and women from the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health, I use granular measures of job quality to identify distinct job quality-family typologies among both men and women in early adulthood to midadulthood to examine differential implications for psychological and physiological stress. I find four types among men and three among women. Family formation and job prestige appear to differentiate stressful from nonstressful jobs for men; stress outcomes for women are more complex, with job characteristics such as flexibility playing a greater role.

Diversity patterns in non-standard employment and their relationship with self-rated health in urban China from 2010 to 2021

In recent decades, the rise of non-standard employment in China is thought to profoundly influence workers' health. Using data from the China General Social Survey 2010-2021, this study compares the self-rated health of workers engaged in various non-standard employment types with those in unemployment or standard employment in urban China. The research also investigates how these patterns have evolved over time among urban residents with different hukou types amid the expansion of China's welfare system and labor market shifts. We find that while unemployment is significantly related to worse self-rated health, the effects vary across different types of non-standard employment. Precarious employment has a more substantial adverse effect on health than part-time and self-employment, although the effect is less severe than that of unemployment. Between 2010 and 2018, the health impact of precarious employment declined, aligning with China's enhanced welfare system. However, its negative effect re-emerged in 2021. These patterns are particularly pronounced for urban residents holding agricultural hukou, highlighting the intersection of non-standard employment with the household registration system in shaping health outcomes within evolving labor markets.

Ramifications of Precarious Employment for Health and Health Inequity: Emerging Trends from the Americas

Precarious employment (PE), which encompasses the power relations between workers and employers, is a well-established social determinant of health that has strong ramifications for health and health inequity. In this review, we discuss advances in the measurement of this multidimensional construct and provide recommendations for overcoming continued measurement challenges. We then evaluate recent evidence of the negative health impacts of PE, with a focus on the burgeoning studies from North America and South America. We also establish the role of PE in maintaining and perpetuating health inequities and review potential policy solutions to help alleviate its health burden. Last, we discuss future research directions with a call for a better understanding of the heterogeneity within PE and for research that focuses both on upstream drivers that shape PE and its impacts on health, as well as on the mechanisms by which PE causes poor health.

Inequalities in Mortality in the Asia-Pacific: A Cross-National Comparison of Socioeconomic Gradients

OBJECTIVES

Social inequalities in mortality are poorly studied in much of the Asia-Pacific. Using data from harmonized nationally representative longitudinal health and aging surveys our study systematically assesses mortality disparities across 3 standardized measures of socioeconomic status in 7 Asia-Pacific countries.

METHODS

We used data from multiple waves of 7 representative sample surveys: the Health, Income and Labour Dynamics in Australia survey, China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study, the Indonesian Family Life Survey, the New Zealand Health, Work and Retirement survey, the Korean Longitudinal Study on Ageing and the Health, Aging and Retirement in Thailand survey, and the Japanese Study of Aging and Retirement. We use Cox proportional hazards modeling to examine how the hazard of mortality differs across domains of social stratification including educational attainment, wealth, and occupational status across countries.

RESULTS

We found consistent and pervasive gradients in mortality risk in the high-income countries by all available measures of social stratification. In contrast, patterns of inequality in adult mortality in middle-income and recently transitioned high-income countries investigated varied depending on the measure of social stratification, with strong gradients by wealth but mixed gradients by education.

DISCUSSION

Analyzing social gradients in mortality in the Asia-Pacific shows that inequalities, especially wealth-based inequalities, in later-life health are present across the region, and that the magnitude of social gradients in mortality is overall larger in high-income countries as compared to middle-income countries.

Job Flexibility, Job Security, and Mental Health Among US Working Adults

Importance

Understanding the association between job characteristics and mental health can inform policies and practices to promote employee well-being.

Objective

To investigate associations between job characteristics and mental health, work absenteeism, and mental health care use among US adults.

Design, Setting, and Participants

This cross-sectional study analyzed data from the 2021 National Health Interview Survey and included adults aged 18 years or older who reported employment during the past 12 months. Data were analyzed from May 2023 to January 2024.

Exposures

Job flexibility was assessed as a summative variable to 3 questions: perceived ease of changing one's work schedule to do things important to oneself or their family, regularity of work schedule changes, and advance notice of work hours. Job security was measured as perceived likelihood of losing one's job.

Main Outcomes and Measures

Mental health outcomes included self-reported serious psychological distress and frequency of anxiety. Work absenteeism was assessed using the number of missed workdays due to illness. Mental health care use was examined for both current and past year use. Multivariable logistic and binomial regression analyses were used to examine associations of interest.

Results

The analytic sample consisted of 18 144 adults (52.3% [95% CI, 51.5%-53.2%] male; mean age, 42.2 [95% CI, 41.9-42.6] years). Greater job flexibility was associated with decreased odds of serious psychological distress (odds ratio [OR], 0.74 [95% CI, 0.63-0.86]; P < .001) and lower odds of weekly anxiety (OR, 0.89 [95% CI, 0.81-0.97]; P = .008) or daily anxiety (OR, 0.87 [95% CI, 0.79-0.96]; P = .005). Greater job security was associated with decreased odds of serious psychological distress (OR, 0.75 [95% CI, 0.65-0.87]; P < .001) and lower odds of anxiety weekly (OR, 0.79 [95% CI, 0.71-0.88]; P < .001) or daily (OR, 0.73 [95% CI, 0.66-0.81]; P < .001). Greater job flexibility (incidence rate ratio [IRR], 0.84 [95% CI, 0.74-0.96]; P = .008) and job security (IRR, 0.75 [95% CI, 0.65-0.87]; P < .001) were each associated with decreased number of days worked despite feeling ill over the past 3 months. Greater job security was associated with decreased absenteeism in the past year (IRR, 0.89 [95% CI, 0.82-0.98]; P < .014).

Conclusions and Relevance

Organizational policies that enhance job flexibility and security may facilitate a healthier work environment, mitigate work-related stress, and ultimately promote better mental health.

A Matter of Time: Racialized Time and the Production of Health Disparities

An expansive and methodologically varied literature designed to investigate racial disparities in health now exists. Empirical evidence points to an overlapping, complex web of social conditions that accelerate the pace of aging and erodes long-term health outcomes among people of color, especially Black Americans. However, a social exposure-or lack thereof-that is rarely mentioned is time use. The current paper was specifically designed to address this shortcoming. First, we draw on extant research to illustrate how and why time is a critical source of racial disparities in health. Second, we employ fundamental causes theory to explain the specific mechanisms through which the differential distribution of time across race is likely to give rise to unequal health outcomes. Finally, we introduce a novel conceptual framework that identifies and distinguishes between four distinct forms of time use likely to play an outsized role in contributing to racial disparities in health.

How much advance notice do workers need? A review and theoretical framework for determining advance notice periods for unpredictable work

Regulatory guidance materials for fatigue management typically advise that employees be provided with days or weeks of advance notice of schedules/rosters. However, the scientific evidence underpinning this advice is unclear. A systematic search was performed on current peer reviewed literature addressing advance notice periods, which found three relevant studies. A subsequent search of grey literature to determine the quality of evidence for the recommendation for advance notice periods returned 37 relevant documents. This review found that fatigue management guidance materials frequently advocated advance notice for work shifts but did not provide empirical evidence to underpin the advice. Although it is logical to suggest that longer notice periods may result in increased opportunities for pre-work preparations, improved sleep, and reduced worker fatigue, the current guidance appears to be premised on this reasoning rather than empirical evidence. Paradoxically, it is possible that advance notice could be counterproductive, as too much may result in frequent alterations to the schedule, particularly where adjustments to start and end times of the work period are not uncommon (e.g., road transport, rail). To assist organisations in determining the appropriate amount of advance notice to provide, we propose a novel theoretical framework to conceptualise advance notice.

How Housing, Employment, and Legal Precarity Affect the Sleep of Migrant Workers: A Mixed-Methods Study

In the United States, natural disasters have increased in frequency and intensity, causing significant damage to communities, infrastructure, and human life. Migrant workers form part of a growing occupational group that rebuilds in the aftermath of natural disasters like hurricanes and tornadoes. The work these migrant workers perform is essential but also unstable, exploitative, and dangerous, which stresses their health and well-being. This study focuses on the health and well-being of migrant roofers, a precarious occupational group who restores communities and helps the U.S. population adjust to a climate-changed world. Using surveys (N = 359) and in-depth interviews (n = 58) from a convenience sample of migrant roofers, we examine how precarity in terms of employment, housing, and legal status affect the sleep outcomes of these workers, who derive their income from an industry where instability is the norm, live in substandard and irregular housing, and lack workplace protections given their legal status.

Night Shift Work and Sleep Disturbances in Women: A Scoping Review

This scoping review aimed to synthesize evidence on sleep disturbances in female shift workers. The update Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews was used. Twelve studies were included, four of which used actigraphy to assess sleep duration, efficiency, and latency. Seven studies evaluated the quality of sleep and three verified the sleepiness of women. This review adds to the body of evidence as the findings are homogeneous and allow a robust conclusion, suggesting that night shift work may be a potential factor for adverse effects on sleep of female shift workers.

Arterial hypertension in rotating shift workers: The role of hypertriglyceridemic waist and hypertriglyceridemic waist-to-height ratio phenotypes

OBJECTIVE

To examine the association of arterial hypertension and the hypertriglyceridemic waist phenotype (HWP) and hypertriglyceridemic waist-to-height phenotype (HWHP).

METHODOLOGY

This cross-sectional study was conducted with 1422 male rotating shift workers in Brazil. The HWP was defined as having a waist circumference ≥94 cm and serum triglycerides ≥150 mg/dL, whereas the HWHP was determined by having a waist-to-height ratio ≥0.5 and serum triglycerides ≥150 mg/dL. To provide a characterization of the sample, data were presented in both absolute and relative values, and Pearson's chi-square test was employed. To investigate the potential association between arterial hypertension and the presence of HWP or HWHP, multivariate logistic regression was conducted, accounting for sociodemographic, behavioral, and clinical variables. Furthermore, we conducted a stratified multivariate logistic regression analysis, considering the duration of shift work, to assess whether the results remained consistent depending on the length of work experience in shifts.

RESULTS

A noteworthy association was observed between arterial hypertension and both HWP and HWHP, with HWHP exhibiting a stronger association with the disease. Furthermore, a positive association between arterial hypertension and these phenotypes was identified in workers with five or more years of shift work.

CONCLUSION

We recommend the utilization of HWHP as a screening tool, as it indicates a stronger association with arterial hypertension compared to HWP. Additionally, the duration of time spent working in shifts emerged as a significant factor influencing the presence of these phenotypes.

Association between unpredictable work schedule and work-family conflict in Korea

Background

As unpredictable work schedule (UWS) has increased worldwide, various studies have been conducted on the resulting health effects on workers. However, research on the effect of UWS on workers' well-being in Korea is still insufficient. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between UWS and work-family conflict (WFC) using 6th Korean Working Conditions Survey (KWCS).

Methods

Both UWS and WFC were measured using self-reported questionnaires, using data from the 6th KWCS conducted between 2020 and 2021, including 31,859 participants. UWS was measured by questions regarding the frequency of changes in work schedules and limited advanced notice. WFC was measured by questions regarding work to family and family to work conflicts. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to investigate the association between UWS and WFC.

Results

The prevalence of UWS was higher among men, those under 40 years old, service and sales workers and blue-collar workers, and those with higher salaries. Workplace size also influenced UWS prevalence, with smaller workplaces (less than 50 employees) showing a higher prevalence. The odds ratio (OR) for WFC was significantly higher in workers with UWS compared to workers without UWS after adjusting for gender, age, marital status, occupation, salary, education, weekly working hours, shift work, company size, and having a child under the age of 18 years, employment status (OR: 3.71; 95% confidence interval: 3.23-4.25).

Conclusions

The analysis of nationwide data revealed that UWS interferes with workers' performance of family roles, which can lead to WFC. Our findings suggest that it is crucial to implement policies to address unfair work schedule management, promoting a healthier work-life balance and fostering a conducive environment for family responsibilities.

Racial/ethnic and gender inequities in the sufficiency of paid leave during the COVID-19 pandemic: Evidence from the service sector

BACKGROUND

Access to paid family and medical leave (PFML), including leave to care for a seriously ill loved one or recover from one's own serious illness, conveys health and economic benefits for workers and their families. However, without a national PFML policy, access to paid leave remains limited and unequal. Previous work documenting inequitable access by socioeconomic status and race/ethnicity primarily focuses on parental leave, measures theoretical access to paid leave rather than actual leave uptake, and lacks an accounting for why workers of color and women may have less access to PFML. We extend this literature by looking at leave-taking for medical needs or caregiving among a high-risk population during the COVID-19 pandemic.

METHODS

We draw on data from 2595 service-sector workers surveyed by the Shift Project in 2020 and 2021 to estimate inequities in leave uptake among workers who experienced qualifying events. We then estimate the relative importance of worker demographic characteristics, qualifying event types (medical vs. caregiving leave), proxies for access to state and employer PFML policies, job characteristics, and ultimately within-firm differences to these gaps.

RESULTS

Overall, one-fifth of workers reported sufficient leave. Women are significantly more likely than men to report insufficient or no leave. Hispanic and Black workers are more likely to take insufficient or no leave, respectively, but these differences were attenuated when controlling for covariates.

CONCLUSIONS

The dearth of PFML laws leaves women and workers of color without access to leave that is paid and of sufficient duration when facing a qualifying event.

Workplace computerization and inequality in schedule control

I investigate how computerization increases access to schedule control and widens the class disparity in access. I combine time-varying measurements of occupational-level computerization with individual-level data from the Current Population Survey (1991-2004) and the American Time Use Survey (2018). Results confirm that computerization is positively associated with schedule control, but this association is not robust to the inclusion of other aspects of occupations. The positive association between educational attainment and schedule control is greater among employees in highly computerized occupations. The results shed light on how computerization is related to inequality in access to schedule control, and in turn, work-family conflict and well-being.

Gig work and mental health during the Covid-19 pandemic: A gendered examination of comparisons with regular employment and unemployment

The rise of the platform economy during the Covid-19 pandemic has stimulated extensive discussions about whether gig workers can obtain equivalent mental health benefits of regular paid employment. Drawing on nationally representative data in the UK, this study aims to examine (1) whether transitioning from no paid work to gig work during Covid-19 is associated with better or worse mental health compared with those who remained not employed and those who became employed in regular jobs; (2) what mechanisms can explain the mental health differences; (3) how the patterns may differ by gender. The results show that transition into gig work is associated with better mental health compared with those who remained not employed, but this pattern is only for male (rather than female) gig workers and can be largely explained by their better financial situation and lower level of loneliness. For both men and women, the transition into gig work is associated with worse mental health compared with the transition into regular employment, but the mechanisms vary across genders. For male gig workers, both higher levels of financial precarity and loneliness in gig work can explain their mental health disadvantages compared with regular workers, but for female gig workers, none of them is at work. These findings facilitate a better understanding of the health consequences of the gig economy, revealing important gender-differentiated socio-psychological mechanisms through which gig work shapes mental health.

Understanding the health decline of Americans in boomers to millennials

Morbidity and mortality are on the rise among Americans from Boomers to Millennials. We investigate early-life diseases and the socioeconomic, psychosocial, and bio-behavioral factors behind this worsening health trend. Using data from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics Family and Individual Files 1968-2013, we find that the chronic disease index and poor subjective health have continuously increased for Baby Boomers and later cohorts. Early-life diseases, obesity, and shortening job tenure account for about half the health decline across cohorts. Weakening union protection, decreasing marriage, and declining religion only make minor contributions. All other factors, including early life nutrition and family background, adulthood socioeconomic status, physical activity, and smoking behaviors, make negative or non-significant contributions. These findings highlight that even though recent cohorts have better childhood nutrition, family socioeconomic environment,and higher levels of education and income, these advantages have been offset by elevated early-life disease exposure, obesity, and a precarious labor market. We discuss the findings in the context of Case and Deaton's "cumulative deprivation" thesis.

Applying a Health Equity Lens to Work-Related Motor Vehicle Safety in the United States

Motor vehicle crashes (MVCs) are the leading cause of fatal work-related injuries in the United States. Research assessing sociodemographic risk disparities for work-related MVCs is limited, yet structural and systemic inequities at work and during commutes likely contribute to disproportionate MVC risk. This paper summarizes the literature on risk disparities for work-related MVCs by sociodemographic and employment characteristics and identifies worker populations that have been largely excluded from previous research. The social-ecological model is used as a framework to identify potential causes of disparities at five levels-individual, interpersonal, organizational, community, and public policy. Expanded data collection and analyses of work-related MVCs are needed to understand and reduce disparities for pedestrian workers, workers from historically marginalized communities, workers with overlapping vulnerabilities, and workers not adequately covered by employer policies and safety regulations. In addition, there is a need for more data on commuting-related MVCs in the United States. Inadequate access to transportation, which disproportionately affects marginalized populations, may make travel to and from work less safe and limit individuals' access to employment. Identifying and remedying inequities in work-related MVCs, whether during the day or while commuting, will require the efforts of industry and multiple public sectors, including public health, transportation, and labor.

Working time variation and mental health during the Covid-19 pandemic in China

The Covid-19 pandemic has brought about a significant shift in labor market dynamics, leading to a notable increase in labor market flexibilization. One prominent aspect of this transformation is the growing variation in working time patterns. The irregular and unpredictable nature of working time may contribute to increased stress levels, difficulty in establishing routines, and challenges in maintaining work-life boundaries. Drawing on China General Social survey 2021, this study aims to examine (1) the relationship between working time variation and mental health during the Covid-19 pandemic in China; (2) whether the relationship can be mediated by work-family conflict; (3) to what extent the relationship varies across occupations. We find that working time variation is associated with significantly worse mental health during the Covid-19 pandemic in China, and around half of the negative effect can be mediated by increased work-family conflict. Moreover, the negative association is more pronounced among non-professional occupations than professional occupations. Overall, these findings shed light on the detrimental impact of working time variation on mental health and its potential mechanism, highlighting how novel work paradigm may interact with existing labor market inequalities to shape workers' mental health.

Precarious employment and associated health and social consequences; a systematic review

OBJECTIVE

This systematic review aims to identify, evaluate, and summarise the consequences of precarious employment.

METHODS

We included studies published within the last ten years (Jan 2011-July 2021) that employed at least two of three key dimensions of precarious employment: employment insecurity, income inadequacy, and lack of rights and protection.

RESULTS

Of the 4,947 initially identified studies, only five studies met our eligibility criteria. These five studies were of moderate quality as assessed by the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale. Our review found that the current literature predominantly defines precarity based on the single criterion of employment insecurity. Our review identified evidence for the negative consequences of precarious employment, including poorer workplace wellbeing, general health, mental health, and emotional wellbeing. The findings indicated an increase in the magnitude of these adverse outcomes with a higher degree of job precariousness.

CONCLUSIONS

The rise of employment precariousness will likely continue to be a major issue in the coming years. More research is needed to inform effective policies and practices using a consensus definition of precarious employment.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PUBLIC HEALTH

The presence of adverse effects of precarious employment suggests workplace initiatives are essential to mitigate the negative consequences of precarity.

The impacts of working time flexibilization on occupational safety and health: an expert survey

The policy proposal by the current Korean government that proposes flexible overtime rules is causing social controversy. This study has explored the 612 experts' opinions on the occupational safety and health impacts of the policy using an online self-report survey. They expected short-term overwork (87.25%), overwork inequality (86.44%), irregular working hours (84.31%), chronic overwork (84.15%), long working hours (83.66%), and unpredictability of working hours (81.86%) as a result of the policy change. They also responded that the policy change would increase industrial accident deaths (87.25%), mental illnesses (87.09%), deaths due to overwork or cardiovascular diseases (83.84%), and accidents (83.33%). They disagreed that the government's flexibilization policy, while agreeing that the necessity of policies on regulating night work (94.77%), guaranteeing wages to eliminate overtime (90.36%), establishing working time regulations for the bogus self-employed (82.84%), and applying the 52-hour workweek system to all workplaces (76.47%). These expert opinions are consistent with previous research on the health effects of working hours.

A cross-sectional analysis of work schedule notice and depressive symptoms in the United States

The implementation of last-minute work scheduling practices, including fluctuations in work hours, shift cancellations, and short notice, reflects a new norm in employment in the United States. This study aimed to investigate whether work schedule notice of ≤2 weeks was associated with high depressive symptoms. We used data from the 2019 cycle of the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth 1997 (N = 4963 adults aged 37-42 years). Using adjusted gender-stratified modified Poisson models, we tested the association between schedule notice (≤2 weeks, >2 weeks, consistent scheduling) and high depressive symptoms. Presence of high depressive symptoms was assessed using the 7-item Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression (CES-D) Short-Form scale and defined as CES-D-SF ≥8. Respondents reporting >2 weeks schedule notice (versus ≤2 weeks) were disproportionately non-Hispanic Black or Hispanic and resided in the South and/or in a rural area. High depressive symptoms were 39% more prevalent among women with schedule notice of ≤2 weeks compared to those with >2 weeks notice (Prevalence Ratio [PR]: 1.39, 95% Confidence Interval (CI): 1.07, 1.80). We did not observe an association among men (PR: 1.06, 95% CI: 0.75, 1.50). Schedule notice of ≤2 weeks was associated with a greater burden of high depressive symptoms among US women. Policies to reduce precarious work scheduling practices should be further evaluated for their impacts on mental health.

Structural Inequities in the Kin Safety Net: Mapping the Three-Generational Network throughout Early Adulthood1

Research in the intergenerational transmission of socioeconomic status (SES) consistently shows that the SES of one generation benefits the next. Demographic processes shape the kin structures that serve as conduits for the transmission of SES. Few studies have examined these trends together to describe experiences in evolving kin structures throughout the life course and across generations. This article applies demographic techniques to fertility, marital, and mortality data from three generations in the Panel Survey of Income Dynamics to simulate the amount of time young adults would spend within consequential kin structures. High-SES adults spend more years of their young adulthood in advantageous kin structures with greater potential for kin support and capital accumulation, while low-SES adults spend a larger portion of their young adulthoods as single parents, sandwiched between widowed parents and children, and as adult orphans. The kin network inequities have grown since the 1980s, driven by lagging mortality improvements and increasing single parenthood among low-SES families.

Trend Toward Older Maternal Age Contributed To Growing Racial Inequity In Very-Low-Birthweight Infants In The US

In 2016 the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that for the first time, US women in their thirties were bearing more children than those in their twenties. Analyzing US vital statistics data from the period 1989-2019, we simulated the effect that the distributional shift to older maternal ages at first birth had on health inequity between Black and White infants. Net of maternal socioeconomic indicators, this shift increased the relative odds that White women gave birth to very-low-birthweight (VLBW) infants by 10 percent, versus 19 percent for Black women, largely accounting for the rise in VLBW and the increase in racial inequity seen in the years analyzed. Reductions in infant mortality over the period were dampened by the maternal age shift, especially among Black babies, exacerbating Black-White inequity. Policy implications for promoting reproductive justice include universal tertiary care access, increasing the supply and distribution of maternity care providers, addressing the holistic needs of mothers throughout pregnancy and postpartum, and expanding family support policies. Conceptually, we recommend centering the realities of pregnancy and parenting from the perspective of the populations at highest risk-centering on the margins-and taking into account their implications for maternal weathering (accelerated deterioration due to disparate impacts of structural racism).

Stress and the gig economy: it's not all shifts and giggles

Gig work is a type of contingent work which has increased markedly in recent times, and is characterised by uncertainty, unpredictability, and instability of both schedules and income earned. Gig workers are also likely to work for multiple platforms and/or employers. These work characteristics mean that performing gig work is associated with higher rates of stress than the general population (Madden et al. Pers Rev 2017). However, it is not currently known which strategies gig workers use to cope with this stress - including which strategies are likely to be effective. The aim of this study was to understand the relationship between coping strategies, number of employers and stress in gig workers. An online survey was completed by 49 gig workers. Validated questionnaires were administered to measure coping strategies (Brief COPE) and stress (Perceived Stress Scale-14). Approach coping strategies (active, planning, and social support) were associated with reduced stress (p<0.05), whereas the avoidant coping strategy of self-blame was associated with increased stress (p<0.05). No differences in stress were seen between gig workers with one employer and those with multiple employers. Findings suggest that some coping strategies may lower stress in gig workers, though long-term outcomes should be considered in future research.

Mothers' Nonstandard Work Schedules and Children's Behavior Problems: Divergent Patterns by Maternal Education

Increasing evidence has demonstrated that nonstandard work schedules are more prevalent among the less-educated population, and mothers' nonstandard work schedules have adverse influences on children's development. Yet, we have known relatively little about how such impacts differ across the educational distribution. Using data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study, random and fixed effects regression results revealed a general "pattern of disadvantage" in the sense that detrimental influences of mothers regularly working nonstandard schedules on children's behavior were concentrated among those born to mothers without high school education, a "truly disadvantaged" group in the contemporary United States. In addition, regular nonstandard schedules appeared to play a mixed role in the behavioral development of children who had college-educated mothers, depending on the specific type of nonstandard schedule. These findings suggest that children born to the least-educated mothers experience compounded disadvantages that may reinforce the intergenerational transmission of disadvantages and also illustrate that negative implications of nonstandard work schedules for child wellbeing may extend to the more advantaged group.

Digital Stress. Effects of Different Intensities of Working From Home on Workers' Health

OBJECTIVE

Because hybrid and remote work models have exponentially expanded with digitalization and the COVID-19 pandemic, this study examines how different intensities of WFH impact workers' health.

METHODS

Drawing on the job demands-resources model, we applied two-way analysis of variance and regression models to the sixth European Working Conditions Survey to examine how the type and magnitude of WFH effects on health depend on its intensity.

RESULTS

A key aspect in relation to remote work is the frequency with which the worker carries out this type of work, with best results among those WFH only several times a month, for women, and several times a week, for men.

CONCLUSIONS

Reasonable intensity of WFH may have beneficial effects on health, but these positive effects are reduced when working fully home-based.

Blurred border or safe harbor? Emotional well-being among sexual and gender minority adults working from home during COVID-19

During the COVID-19 pandemic, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) adults have experienced pronounced declines in well-being. However, less is known about how changes to daily routines and settings, such as the shift to remote work within many occupations, may be playing a role in well-being outcomes. Drawing on a unique time diary data source (N = 3515 respondents and 7650 episodes) collected between April 2020-July 2021 through online crowdsourcing platforms, we conducted random effects analyses to examine how working from home has been associated with experienced well-being among LGBTQ and cisgender heterosexual workers in the United States during the pandemic. Findings indicate LGBTQ adults felt significantly less stressed and tired while doing paid work at home than while working at a workplace. In addition, working at a workplace, rather than working from home, appeared to be more detrimental to LGBTQ adults' well-being compared to their non-LGBTQ counterparts. Adjusting for work characteristics explained some of the difference, whereas adjusting for family characteristics had little impact on the results. It is possible that for LGBTQ employees, working from home mitigates some of the minority stressors experienced during paid work.

Maternal precarious employment and child overweight/obesity in the United States

Precarious employment has increased in the United States and is now recognized as an important social determinant of health. Women are disproportionately employed in precarious jobs and are largely responsible for caretaking, which could deleteriously affect child weight. We utilized data from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth adult and child cohorts (1996-2016; N = 4453) and identified 13 survey indicators to operationalize 7 dimensions of precarious employment (score range: 0-7, 7 indicating the most precarious): material rewards, working-time arrangements, stability, workers' rights, collective organization, interpersonal relations, and training. We estimated the association between maternal precarious employment and incident child overweight/obesity (BMI ≥85th percentile) using adjusted Poisson models. Between 1996 and 2016, the average age-adjusted precarious employment score among mothers was 3.7 (Standard Error [SE] = 0.02) and the average prevalence of children with overweight/obesity was 26.2% (SE = 0.5%). Higher maternal precarious employment was associated with a 10% higher incidence of children having overweight/obesity (Confidence Interval: 1.05, 1.14). A higher incidence of childhood overweight/obesity may have important implications at the population-level, due to the long-term health consequences of child obesity into adulthood. Policies to reduce employment precariousness should be considered and monitored for impacts on childhood obesity.

The impact of paid sick leave mandates on Women's health

The United States does not have a national program to provide job-protected paid leave to workers when they or a family member are ill or need to seek medical care. Many workers receive paid sick leave through their employers, but women, particularly parents, those without a college degree, and Latinas, are less likely than their counterparts to receive employer-provided paid sick leave (PSL). To address the shortfall in PSL coverage, several states and localities have passed laws mandating employers to provide PSL. I examine the impacts of three recent state-level paid sick leave policies on women's self-reported health using data from the Behavior Risk Factor Surveillance System. Using static and event-study difference-in-differences models, I find that PSL mandates decreased the proportion of women reporting fair or poor health by an average of 2.4 percentage points and reduced the number of days women reported their physical and mental health was not good by 0.68 days and 0.43 days in the past 30 days respectively. Effects were concentrated among parents, women without college degrees, and women of color. This study demonstrates that despite being a low-intensity policy, PSL improves women's health and well-being and that mandating workplace benefits may play a role in achieving health equity.

The Roles of Adolescent Occupational Expectations and Preparation in Adult Suicide and Drug Poisoning Deaths within a Shifting Labor Market

Research suggests that economic declines contribute to mortality risks from suicide and drug poisoning, but how the economy impacts individuals' risks of these deaths has been challenging to specify. Building on recent theoretical advances, we investigate how adolescent occupational expectations and preparation contribute to suicide and drug poisoning deaths in a shifting economy. We use High School and Beyond data linked to adult mortality records for men that were exposed to a decline in labor market share and wages in predominantly blue-collar occupations during early adulthood. We find that adolescent men who expected these occupations had increased risks of suicide and drug poisoning death as adults net of educational and occupational attainment in early adulthood. Family background and occupational preparation are risk factors for death by drug poisoning but not suicide. Our findings improve our understanding of how labor market uncertainty shapes individuals' vulnerability to suicide and drug poisoning death.

Abusive supervision and employee well-being of nursing staff: Mediating role of occupational stress

AIM

The study examined whether occupational stress mediated the relationship between abusive supervision and well-being of nursing staff.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional questionnaire survey was administered.

METHODS

Data were collected at three-time points between July 2020 and January 2021. A total of 313 valid responses were obtained from nurses working in a general hospital in Taiwan. The data were analysed using descriptive statistics, Pearson's correlation analysis and the bootstrap method.

RESULTS

Abusive supervision was positively associated with occupational stress (β = 0.288, SE = 0.069, 95% CI [0.152, 0.423]) and negatively associated with employee well-being, including psychological (β = -0.350, SE = 0.084, 95% CI [-0.515, -0.186]), physical (β = -0.301, SE = 0.080, 95% CI [-0.459, -0.143]) and social well-being (β = -0.422, SE = 0.121, 95% CI [-0.661, -0.183]). Occupational stress was negatively related to employee well-being. A mediation analysis with bootstrapping revealed that occupational stress mediated the relationship between abusive supervision and employee well-being, which included psychological (95% bootstrap CI [-0.183, -0.046]), physical (95% bootstrap CI [-0.212, -0.062]) and social well-being (95% bootstrap CI [-0.178, -0.040]).

CONCLUSION

Abusive supervision influences employee well-being. Occupational stress mediates the relationship between abusive supervision and employee well-being. To improve employee well-being, hospital administrators should develop policies for effectively managing nursing supervisors' abusive behaviour and subordinates' stress management.

IMPACT

Abusive supervision increased the occupational stress of employees and influenced their well-being. Thus, educational courses should be implemented to train supervisors to practice positive leadership and treat employees fairly. Promoting stress management among nursing staff may lead to the prompt reporting of abusive events and improved employee well-being.

NO PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION

This study investigated the relationship between the abusive supervision and employee well-being of nursing employees. No patient or public contribution is involved in this study.

Association between precarious employment and BMI in the United States

OBJECTIVE

There is growing recognition that precarious employment is an important determinant of health, which may increase BMI through multiple mechanisms, including stress. It was investigated whether increases in precarious employment were associated with changes in BMI in the United States.

METHODS

Data were from the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth adult cohort (1996-2016) (N = 7280). Thirteen indicators were identified to operationalize seven dimensions of precarious employment (range: 0-7, 7 indicating most precarious): material rewards, working-time arrangements, stability, workers' rights, collective organization, interpersonal relationships, and training. The precarious employment-BMI association was estimated using linear regression models and an instrumental variables approach; state- and individual-level firm sizes were the instruments for precarious employment. Models also included individual and year fixed effects and controlled for age, marital status, education, region, and industry.

RESULTS

The average precarious employment score (PES) was 3.49 (95% CI: 3.46-3.52). The PES was the highest among Hispanic (4.04; 95% CI: 3.92-4.15) and non-Hispanic Black (4.02; 95% CI: 3.92-4.12) women with lower education. A 1-point increase in the PES was associated with a 2.18-point increase in BMI (95% CI: 0.30-4.01).

CONCLUSIONS

Given that even small changes in weight affect chronic disease risk, policies to improve employment quality warrant consideration.

Behind the flexibility: insufficient occupational injury protection of gig workers in China

Objective

Occupational injury protection is essential to safeguard the basic rights of workers. This article focuses on a group of gig workers who have emerged on a large scale in recent years in China and aims to explore their status of occupational injury protection.

Methods

Based on the theory of technology-institution innovation interaction, we adopted the institution analysis to assess the work-related injury protection of gig workers. The comparative study was used to evaluate three cases of occupational injury protection in China for gig workers.

Results

Institutional innovation failed to respond to technological innovation and provided insufficient occupational injury protection for gig workers. The work-related injury insurance was inaccessible to gig workers due to they were not treated as employees in China. The work-related injury insurance was not available to gig workers. Although some practices were explored, shortcomings remain.

Conclusions

Behind the flexibility of gig work is insufficient occupational injury protection. According to the theory of technology-institution innovation interaction, we believe the reform of work-related injury insurance is increasingly essential for improving the situation of gig workers. This research contributes to expanding understanding of gig workers' situation and may offer a reference to other countries on protecting gig workers against occupational injuries.

At Work in a Pandemic: Black Workers' Experiences of Safety on the Job

Race and labor scholars have argued that precarious, dangerous work, along with the work of social reproduction, has long been disproportionately placed on Black workers. This research examines how the COVID-19 pandemic impacted essential in-person workers differently by race. Using data collected from approximately 8,000 respondents in five survey waves, we find that Black essential and in-person workers were far more likely to experience safety concerns on the job than white workers, from inadequate sick leave and protective gear in the early pandemic to customers who refused to mask in later months. This pattern extended to stress off the job, where Black workers were more likely to have experienced food, childcare, and housing insecurities. Black workers were also more likely to be interested in unionization. These findings point to distinct ways in which the COVID-19 pandemic has collided with Black workers' struggle for economic inequality and amplified existing patterns of labor market inequality.

Enhancing the Utility of the Health and Retirement Study (HRS) to Identify Drivers of Rising Mortality Rates in the United States

A recent report from the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) highlights rising rates of working-age mortality in the United States, portending troubling population health trends for this group as they age. The Health and Retirement Study (HRS) is an invaluable resource for researchers studying health and aging dynamics among Americans ages 50 and above and has strong potential to be used by researchers to provide insights about the drivers of rising U.S. mortality rates. This paper assesses the strengths and limitations of HRS data for identifying drivers of rising mortality rates in the U.S. and provides recommendations to enhance the utility of the HRS in this regard. Among our many recommendations, we encourage the HRS to prioritize the following: link cause of death information to respondents; reduce the age of eligibility for inclusion in the sample; increase the rural sample size; enhance the existing HRS Contextual Data Resource by incorporating longitudinal measures of structural determinants of health; develop additional data linkages to capture residential settings and characteristics across the life course; and add measures that capture drug use, gun ownership, and social media use.

Working Time Control and Variability in Europe Revisited: Correlations with Health, Sleep, and Well-Being

Working time control (WTC) and working time variability (WTV) are two important dimensions of working times, especially with regard to the dynamics of irregular working hours in a changing world of work. Both dimensions are closely related, and the terms are sometimes used synonymously. However, a high degree of WTC does not automatically lead to variable or irregular working hours. On the contrary, WTV is often imposed by the employer and does not necessarily occur in conjunction with high WTC. This article gives an overview of different European WTC and WTV regimes using a typological approach. Based on the European Working Conditions Survey 2015 (EWCS, n = 27,607), four employee groups are compared: those with (1) high WTC and high WTV, (2) high WTC and low WTV, (3) low WTC and high WTV, and (4) low WTC and low WTV. Firstly, the analyses aim to assess whether WTC and WTV vary across European countries due to different working time regimes and in different occupational sectors, i.e., hospitality, retail, and health and social work. Secondly, multi-level analyses are used to describe correlations with health (self-rated health, psychosomatic complaints), sleep (sleep problems), and well-being (WHO-5-Scale). The analyses suggest that WTC and WTV differ between European countries: in the northern countries, high WTC/high WTV is most prevalent, whereas low WTV/low WTC is more common in the other countries. As far as employee health and sleep are concerned, high WTV is associated with poor health, i.e., a greater number of psychosomatic health complaints, worse self-rated health status, and more sleep problems. However, the correlation appears to be weaker for psychosomatic health complaints when employees have high WTC. Significant correlations could not be found for WTC. Low WTC and high WTV is more common in occupational sectors in hospitality, retail, and health and social care; however, these occupational sectors show the same correlations regarding health, sleep, and well-being. The analyses indicate that it is crucial to consider WTV and WTC together in order to understand the dynamics of irregular working hours and health.

Consequences of living environment insecurity on health and well-being in southwest China: The role of community cohesion and social support

Growing populations in developing countries have exacerbated inequality in the spatial distribution of living environments. As a result, whether living environment factors matter to health and well-being is increasingly attracting policy and scholarly attention. Yet, crucial knowledge gaps remain regarding the implications, consequences and mechanisms of one's living environment on health and well-being in developing countries. This study examined the association between living environment and psychological distress, self-rated health and satisfaction with life among Chinese adults. Furthermore, it also explored the moderating role of community cohesion and the mediating role of social support on these factors. Using probability proportionate to size sampling methods, 3765 respondents and 148 community organisers were recruited from 160 communities in Yunnan, China, in 2018. Ordinary least squares regression and structural equation modelling were conducted. The findings indicate that residents who lived in communities with higher levels of environment insecurity had lower levels of subjective health and well-being (psychological distress: β = 1.088, p < 0.001; self-rated health: β = -0.104, p < 0.01; satisfaction with life: β = -0.164, p < 0.001). Moreover, community cohesion played a moderating role in the relationship between living environment insecurity and self-rated health (β = 0.212, p < 0.05) and satisfaction with life (β = 0.183, p < 0.05); however, it had no significant effects on psychological distress. Furthermore, the moderated effects of community cohesion on living environment insecurity were mediated through perceived social support for self-rated health (proportion of total effect mediated = 11%) and satisfaction with life (proportion of total effect mediated = 29%). The present findings have implications for policy makers and community committees who can work towards social inequality in developing countries. The integrated programmes of improving living conditions and strengthening community capacity are crucial to residents' health and well-being.

UNCERTAIN TIME: PRECARIOUS SCHEDULES AND JOB TURNOVER IN THE US SERVICE SECTOR

The authors develop a model of cumulative disadvantage relating three axes of disadvantage for hourly workers in the US retail and food service sectors: schedule instability, turnover, and earnings. In this model, exposure to unstable work schedules disrupts workers' family and economic lives, straining the employment relation and increasing the likelihood of turnover, which can then lead to earnings losses. Drawing on new panel data from 1,827 hourly workers in retail and food service collected as part of the Shift Project, the authors demonstrate that exposure to schedule instability is a strong, robust predictor of turnover for workers with relatively unstable schedules (about one-third of the sample). Slightly less than half of this relationship is mediated by job satisfaction and another quarter by work-family conflict. Job turnover is generally associated with earnings losses due to unemployment, but workers leaving jobs with moderately unstable schedules experience earnings growth upon re-employment.

Employment Precarity, COVID-19 Risk, and Workers' Well-Being During the Pandemic in Europe

The COVID-19 crisis highlights a growing precarity in employment and the importance of employment for workers' well-being. Existing studies primarily examine the consequences of employment precarity through non-standard employment arrangements or the perception of job insecurity as a one-dimensional measure. Recent scholars advocate a multidimensional construct with a wide range of objective and subjective characteristics of precariousness. Using data from Eurofound's Living, Working, and COVID-19 surveys, I define employment precarity as the objective form of employment instability, as well as subjective terms of job insecurity and emotional precariousness. I also investigate whether and how various facets of employment precarity along with COVID-19 risk are associated with workers' mental and subjective well-being across 27 European Union member states during the pandemic. This study sheds light on a comprehensive understanding of objective and subjective dimensions of employment precarity, as well as their effects on workers' well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic.

What does non-standard employment look like in the United States? An empirical typology of employment quality

Despite significant interest in the changing nature of employment as a critical social and economic challenge facing society-especially the decline in the so-called Standard Employment Relationship (SER) and rise in more insecure, precarious forms of employment-scholars have struggled to operationalize the multifaceted and heterogeneous nature of contemporary worker-employer relationships within empirical analyses. Here we investigate the character and distribution of employment relationships in the U.S., drawing on a representative sample of wage-earners and self-employed from the General Social Survey (2002 - 2018). We use the multidimensional construct of employment quality (EQ), which includes both contractual (e.g., wages, contract type) and relational (e.g., employee representation and participation) aspects of employment. We further employ a typological measurement approach, using latent class analysis, to explicitly examine how the multiple aspects of employment cluster together in modern labor markets. We present eight distinct employment types in the U.S., including one resembling the historical conception of the SER model (24% of the total workforce), and others representing various constellations of favorable and adverse employment features. These employment types are unevenly distributed across society, in terms of who works these jobs and where they are found in the labor market. Importantly, women, those with lower education, and younger workers are more likely to be in precarious forms of employment. More generally, our typology reveals limitations associated with binary conceptions of standard vs. non-standard employment, or insider-outsider dichotomies envisioned within dual labor market theories.

Explaining the Occupational Structure of Depressive Symptoms: Precarious Work and Social Marginality across European Countries

The idea that socioeconomic differences are a "fundamental cause" of health and well-being is the basis for large volumes of research. However, one of the challenges in this area is that of linking socioeconomic positions to etiological mechanisms in theoretically informative ways. The situation is doubly challenging because the expression and meaning of socioeconomic positions and the mechanisms they activate change over time. Focusing on depression and applying mediation analysis to data from a large multinational sample from European countries, we find strong support for a three-stage model where occupational differences are largely mediated by exposure to precarious work, which itself is mediated by social marginality. The model is largely robust across welfare state regimes. Ultimately, the research extends fundamental cause perspectives by highlighting connections between "old" and "new" dimensions of socioeconomic status and the social and social psychological sequelae that connect them to psychological well-being.

Give Me Five: The Most Important Social Values for Well-Being at Work

Social values are very important for well-being at work. This study investigates which and how social values affect well-being at work and contributes to the growing interest that the issue of quality of life at work has aroused in the areas of human resources management (HRM). Semi-structured interviews were held with 21 active employees of a large Portuguese business group in the environmental sector. The study took place in two parts; first, in December 2018 and then two years after the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, in January 2022. Theories and concepts emerged from the thematic analysis and the subsequent consideration of the literature and emerging conceptual understanding. This qualitative interview study examines what employees expect from work experience about the behavior of leaders and supervisors as representatives of the formal structure of the organization and the behavior of co-workers as an expression of an ethical and positive work environment. The findings show the five social values most important for employee well-being: respect, trust, equity with no discrimination, help and gratitude. The knowledge of the social values with more impact on employee well-being constitutes very important information for human resource management and for the employees, themselves.

Double Jeopardy: The Roles of Job Autonomy and Spousal Gender Ideology in Employed Women's Mental Health

Employed women persistently suffer in mental health despite more family-friendly workplaces. The job demand-control theory argues that employed women's mental health depends on their job autonomy, while sociological research on the gender division of household labor locates the cause in how much they are expected by husbands to contribute to housework. The article integrates the two streams of literature by arguing that employed women's job autonomy and their spousal gender ideology interact to shape their mental health. Using nationally representative household-level panel survey and fixed effects models, the study showed that job autonomy improved employed women's mental health, but the benefits depended on their spousal gender ideologies. Specifically, women suffered a "double jeopardy" in mental health when they lacked job autonomy and had traditional husbands. In contrast, when women's husbands had an egalitarian gender ideology, they enjoyed mental health regardless of job autonomy. In addition, women's self-gender ideology did not predict their own or their husbands' mental health. The results point to a societal-level change in men's gender ideology as a fundamental way to improve employed women's family well-being.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11482-022-10090-8.

Parenting without Predictability: Precarious Schedules, Parental Strain, and Work-Life Conflict

Against the backdrop of dramatic changes in work and family life, this paper draws on survey data from 2,971 mothers working in the service sector to examine how unpredictable schedules are associated with three dimensions of parenting: difficulty arranging childcare, work-life conflict, and parenting stress. Results demonstrate that on-call shifts, shift timing changes, work hour volatility, and short advance notice of work schedules are positively associated with difficulty arranging childcare and work-life conflict. We also find that mothers working these schedules are more likely to miss work. Finally, we consider how family structure and race moderate the relationship between schedule instability and these dimensions of parenting. Ultimately, we argue that unstable work schedules have important consequences for mothers working in the service industry.

Economic instability and child maltreatment risk: Evidence from state administrative data

BACKGROUND

The effects of economic instability and the role of economic conditions preceding child protective services (CPS) involvement have not been fully considered in the child welfare literature.

OBJECTIVE

This paper investigates the link between earnings instability and CPS involvement. Specifically, it examines whether adequate access to safety net programs mitigates the likelihood of child welfare involvement when families encounter negative earnings shocks.

METHODOLOGY

The study used quarterly administrative data from a sample of at-risk families for CPS involvement in Wisconsin. Event history analysis was employed to estimate the relationship between earnings instability and subsequent child maltreatment investigations.

RESULT

Experiencing a negative earnings shock of 30% or more increases the likelihood of CPS involvement by approximately 18%. The effect diminishes and becomes nonsignificant when an earnings decline is compensated by benefit receipt. Each additional earnings drop is associated with a 15% greater likelihood of CPS involvement. Each consecutive quarter with stable income is associated with 5% lower probability of a CPS report. The results are more pronounced for abuse than neglect and are marginally significant for neglect reports.

CONCLUSION

Unfavorable economic instability is linked to greater CPS-involvement risk, particularly for child abuse. Moreover, accessing sufficient social benefits as supplemental income when negative earnings shocks occur serves to effectively buffer against the risk of child maltreatment, particularly among families with young children (ages 0-4).