Non-standard Employment in Government: An Overview from Canada and Brazil

This report reviews the status and the implications of non-standard employment in the government in two countries: Canada and Brazil. Recent research and policy discussions have been focused on the growth of non-standard employment in the private sector in many countries.

The ILO’s own work has focused on growth in non-standard employment as a global phenomenon. In the past, less attention has been paid to growth of non-standard employment in the civil service, i.e., people who are directly employed by governments.

In this report we examine a number of issues beginning with the extent of such employment in governments in these two countries. We also examine their eligibility to join unions, actual membership in unions and any social dialogue that may take place to give them a voice in the workplace. Lastly, implications for the quality of government work are examined in cases where non-standard employment is a significant proportion of the total employment. It should be noted here that since this paper is essentially a review of existing research, significant gaps in available information were found. These gaps ate highlighted throughout the report with a summary at the end on where future research efforts may be focused.