NORDIK Institute is looking for Sault Ste. Marie residents to participate in a study on precarious work and/or underemployment.
“Precarious work is work which is non-standard work, meaning its seasonal, or part-time or contract only; where the employer does not expect the position to become a permanent job” states Ma’iingan Corbiere, a social work student and one of the research assistants on the project.
“Underemployment is when someone cannot find work in their own field, or at the level of their qualifications or experience.”
People who are employed in this type of employment currently, or sometime within the last three years are eligible to participate in the research, and help better identify the nature and extent of this type of employment in Sault Ste. Marie.
“Increasingly, there are fewer and fewer full-time permanent jobs with benefits,” says Karen Harasymiw, another student researcher, “but the experience of workers varies according to the city and region. We hope to identify more of what it really looks like here, and how it may impact the community’s well being.”
Research participants have an opportunity to take an on-line survey, attend a focus group or engage in an interview with the researchers. Upon completion, the results of this study will be shared with the Sault Ste. Marie Poverty Roundtable in hopes of better addressing the needs of low-income people. The Roundtable members have identified “workforce entry” as one of their priority areas.
If you are interested in participating in the study or for more information, please contact:
NORDIK Institute at
precarious.employment2017@
Participants can access the online survey at:
