The COVID-19 pandemic closed or limited many economic activities, which had a far-reaching impact on the labour market. Employment losses at the outset of the pandemic were sharper than those experienced during the global financial crisis of 2008–2010. Even greater declines in hours worked arose as a result of the widespread state-supported furloughing of workers. The physical distancing policies of governments led to another significant and largely ad hoc adjustment – the shift to mass remote working for those workers whose jobs allowed it. This report describes the employment and working time developments in the EU through the first year of the crisis and examines how they differed by sector and occupation. It explores the categories of workers who were most affected – primarily temporary workers, young workers and low-paid female workers. It also assesses the extent to which remote working served as a buffer during the crisis, preserving jobs that might otherwise have been lost.

HURLEY John;  FANA Marta;  ADĂSCĂLIȚEI Dragoș;  MAZZEO ORTOLANI Giovanna;  MANDL Irene;  PERUFFO Eleonora;  VACAS-SORIANO Carlos; 

2022-06-27

Publications Office of the European Union

JRC126857

978-92-897-2212-4 (online),    978-92-897-2211-7 (print),   

OP TJ-01-21-324-EN-N (online),    OP TJ-01-21-324-EN-C (print),   

https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC126857,   

10.2806/308937 (online),    10.2806/24917 (print),