Are unemployment insurance systems adapting to non-standard employment?

Abstract

This chapter will discuss the features of the countries’ unemployment insurance systems that are important in respect of the benefit receipt of non-standard workers. The first, more theoretical part on the male breadwinner model will take up the second hypothesis, that countries vary concerning the connection between social insurance and standard employment. We shall address the following questions: Why do unemployment insurance systems fail to cover certain groups? And have there been developments to better cover groups that are excluded from or disadvantaged in unemployment insurance systems? In order to answer these questions we shall examine and compare the unemployment insurance schemes of the four countries. After briefly discussing the main principles and developments we shall focus on the design features that potentially influence the coverage of part-time and temporary workers.