Insecurity on the Labor Market

Abstract

There is a common feeling that life has become more insecure over time. I here consider this proposition with respect to the labor market. I first discuss how labor-market insecurity might be measured, and then its potential consequences for individuals. To answer the question of “What Happened,” I then review a number of pieces of evidence regarding developments in the labor market, and perhaps surprisingly find no consistent support for the proposition that the labor market has become significantly more insecure.