ABSTRACT
The overall employment rate is quite high in Sweden, about 78 per cent. In terms of gender differences, participation in paid labour is only marginally higher for men than for women. Contracts used for project work of specific well-defined tasks (18 per cent), probation (10 per cent), and seasonal work (5 per cent) increased only slightly. Apprenticeships, trainees and various job creation schemes (e.g., community work during periods of unemployment) show a declining trend, together accounting for 15 per cent of all temporary arrangements. The highest proportion of temporary contracts is found in the service sector and the public sector, which have in recent years tried to achieve greater flexibility and reduce the total number of employees. People in temporary jobs consistently reported less training and education during paid working hours than permanent employees. Swedish interview and survey studies identified employees reporting involuntary as well as voluntary choice of non-permanent jobs.
