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Roschan Monsef / Holger Schäfer / Jörg Schmidt IW-Trends No. 2 25. May 2021 The Trend Towards Second Jobs – Just a Question of Money?

In recent years, an increasing number of dependent employees have become multiple jobholders.

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The Trend Towards Second Jobs – Just a Question of Money?
Roschan Monsef / Holger Schäfer / Jörg Schmidt IW-Trends No. 2 25. May 2021

The Trend Towards Second Jobs – Just a Question of Money?

German Economic Institute (IW) German Economic Institute (IW)

In recent years, an increasing number of dependent employees have become multiple jobholders.

This study investigates whether such secondary employment is primarily pursued to avoid social hardship. An empirical analysis shows that the motives of multiple jobholders differ significantly according to whether their ‘moonlighting’ involves dependent or self-employment. 41 per cent of employees who are self-employed in their side jobs have a university degree, a proportion significantly higher than the one among single jobholders and those working for more than one employer. Moreover, their main income tends to be above average. For employee multiple jobholders, on the other hand, financial factors are likely to play a key role. Not only is their gross hourly wage in their main job likely to be lower than that of single jobholders but their primary employment is also considerably more likely to be part-time. However, the total household income of employee multiple jobholders, including income from side jobs, does not differ significantly from that of single jobholders. Further analyses show that employees with lower main income are more likely to be holding down multiple jobs, even under otherwise equal conditions. However, this does not apply if income from secondary employment is also taken into account. Labour policy which made secondary employment less attractive, for example by raising the tax and insurance burdens for limited-hour contracts, could therefore increase the risk of poverty for those whose earning potential in their main job is limited.

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The Trend Towards Second Jobs – Just a Question of Money?
Roschan Monsef / Holger Schäfer / Jörg Schmidt IW-Trends No. 2 25. May 2021

The Trend Towards Second Jobs – Just a Question of Money?

German Economic Institute (IW) German Economic Institute (IW)

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The Pros and Cons of Trade Union Membership
Helena Bach / Carolin Fulda / Sandra Vogel IW-Trends No. 1 12. March 2024

The Pros and Cons of Trade Union Membership

The decline in collective bargaining coverage in Germany is often attributed to the reluctance of companies to join an employers' association which negotiates collective agreements.

IW

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Andrea Hammermann / Oliver Stettes IW-Report No. 62 10. December 2023

Office work in transition: Analysis of the working conditions of office workers

Office work has changed considerably over time and reflects both technical progress and the zeitgeist of the decades.

IW

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