Flex Work Research Centre

The authors exploit micro, longitudinal data in order to analyze the strong downward trend in seasonal employment that has been observed in Canada in recent decades. After controlling for compositional effects, they authors examine the extent to which the overall trend can be attributed to three potential factors: the reforms that were implemented to the unemployment insurance/employment insurance (UI/EI) program in the mid-1990s, changes in production and employment patterns within industries, and changes in the incidence of seasonal employment among less-educated workers. The authors also examine a dynamic aspect of seasonal unemployment, namely the degree of persistence of seasonal work.