ATYPICAL WORKER

A worker whose occupation does not conform to the standard or typical model of full-time, regular, open-ended employment with a single employer over a long time span.
(adapted from European Industrial Relations Dictionary (Eurofound), Atypical work, visited 2009-05-27)

"The right to equal treatment of atypical workers, regardless of characteristics such as sex, race, age and disability, highlights a new dimension of the equality principle in equality law."
(European Industrial Relations Dictionary (Eurofound), Atypical Work, 2007, visited 2009-05-27)

"The only way to protect permanent jobs and at the same time to secure atypical workers equal conditions is to eliminate the economic advantage the employer gains from employing atypical workers where there is a basis for permanent employment."
(Union Network International, Proposed Amendments to Resolutions, Plus Recommendations from Resolutions Committee, 2003, visited 2009-05-27)

"Abusive use of atypical workers exists in all sectors and this is primarily due to economic reasons, because in many cases working conditions offered to the atypical workers are less favourable than those of permanent staff. The atypical worker might not be covered by a collective agreement and might even not be assured the right to join a union. In some countries, all or some social benefits are not available to the atypical worker and in yet other countries the atypical worker is defined as self-employed and consequently exempted from rights and protection enjoyed by other workers."
(Union Network International, Proposed Amendments to Resolutions, Plus Recommendations from Resolutions Committee, visited 2009-05-27)

No legal definition of an atypical worker currently exists. A variety of work situations define the atypical worker, that is, any employment status that does come under the traditional definition of a permanent employee:

• Part-time work
• Temporary work
• Self-employed work
• Casual work
• Seasonal work
• Contract work
• On-call work
• Home-based work
• Telework
• Dispatched work