December 2024
20Dec

Nigeria. PenCom to remodel micro-pension scheme – DG

The Director-General of the National Pension Commission, Omolola Oloworaran, has revealed that the micro pension scheme would be remodelled to boost participation. Oloworaran said this on Thursday at the 2024 PenCom Media Conference held in Lagos. Micro pensions are specifically designed for individuals in the informal sectors. She said, “What we are doing with a micro pension is treating it a little differently from how we were doing it before. As we know, the micro pension doesn’t resonate with everyone within the...

December 20, 2024
News, Slider, ,
Read more...
11Dec

Zimbabwe. Government urged to incentivise informal sector formalisation

ANALYSTS and other key business players have implored the Government to invest more in incentivising informal sector players to transition into formal business operations to enhance economic stability and improve tax revenues. Mr James Wadi, an economic analyst said this while giving an appraisal of the 2025 National Budget at the post–budget breakfast meeting hosted by Business Weekly in collaboration with the Confederation of Zimbabwe Industries (CZI) and the Ministry of Finance, Economic Development and Investment Promotion on Monday. Zimbabwean products Mr...

December 11, 2024
News, Slider, ,
Read more...
10Dec

31% of Canadian employees rely on gig work to help cover expenses: survey

A third (31 per cent) of Canadian employees say they rely on gig work in some capacity to help cover regular expenses, according to a new survey by ADP Canada. The survey, which polled more than 1,200 employees, found among gig workers, 17 per cent said gig work is their primary source of income for covering expenses. The main industries solicited by gig workers are transportation, retail and grocery. On a scale of one to 10, workers reported an average happiness...

December 10, 2024
News, Slider, ,
Read more...
09Dec

Kenya. Jua kali workers to receive formal certification under proposed law

Kenyan artisans working in the informal sector, popularly known as jua kali, could soon receive formal recognition for their skills, following a proposed law which seeks to establish a structured system for assessing and certifying their expertise. If passed, the Bill would make it mandatory for the National Industrial Training Authority (NITA) to create a system for assessing individuals who have acquired skills through non-formal, informal, or experiential learning methods. Kisumu Central MP Joshua Oron introduced the Bill known as the...

December 9, 2024
News, Slider, ,
Read more...
04Dec

Rise and Challenges of India’s Gig Economy

According to a white paper by the Forum for Progressive Gig Workers, the gig economy in India is projected to grow at a compounded annual growth rate (CAGR) of 17%, reaching USD 455 billion by 2024, driving significant economic growth and employment opportunities. What is the Gig Economy? About: The gig economy refers to a labor market characterized by short-term, and flexible jobs often facilitated through digital platforms. It involves individuals or companies offering services on a temporary or task-by-task basis, rather...

December 4, 2024
News, ,
Read more...
03Dec

The widening gender wage gap in the gig economy in China: the impact of digitalisation

The gig economy, fundamentally relying on the digital economy, is often celebrated for its potential to expand employment opportunities and close gender wage gaps. However, research on its gender impacts in China, the largest developing country with a rapidly expanding gig sector, is notably lacking. Employing discrimination theory, the findings challenge the prevailing optimistic view on the role of the gig economy. Utilising the China Labour Dynamics Survey data from 2014, 2016, and 2018, and applying the Bourguignon, Fournier,...

December 3, 2024
News, , ,
Read more...
02Dec

Belgium’s sex workers get maternity leave and pensions under world-first law

“I had to work while I was nine months pregnant,” says Sophie, a sex worker in Belgium. “I was having sex with clients one week before giving birth.” She juggles her job with being a mother of five - which is “really hard”. When Sophie had her fifth child by Caesarean, she was told she needed bed rest for six weeks. But she says that wasn’t an option, and she went back to work immediately. “I couldn’t afford to stop because I...

December 2, 2024
News,
Read more...

November 2024
29Nov

Brazil: Employment & Benefits – 2024 Highlights and 2025 Outlook

By Aline Fidelis This year has brought several significant updates to Brazilian labor law, with key changes focusing on equal pay, digital communication requirements, and debate over the regulation of platform work. These developments highlight the increasing emphasis on gender equality, workplace mental health, and the evolving nature of work in the gig economy. This article outlines the key highlights from 2024 and looks ahead to 2025. Get the report here

November 29, 2024
Books, Books, Labor Market, Reports, , , ,
Read more...
29Nov

Financial Inclusion and the Informal Sector

By Noha Emara, Freddy Cama & Mohamed Trabelsi This paper explores the relationship between the informal sector and financial inclusion for a sample of 186 countries across the period 2004-2018 and using various methods of estimations—ordinary least squares, instrumental variables, fixed effects, and general method of moments. The results show financial inclusion significantly reduces the size of the shadow economy with all indicators of access and usage of financial services. The result is also robust when considering the income level,...

November 29, 2024
Articles, Pension design, ,
Read more...
28Nov

The Gig Economy in India: A Double-Edged Sword

The rise of the gig economy in India represents a profound transformation in the country’s labour market. Enabled by rapid digitization, growing smartphone usage, and platforms like Uber, Swiggy, and Zomato, millions now perform short-term “gigs” without formal employment. This shift promises flexibility for both businesses and workers, offering companies an on-demand workforce while allowing workers immediate earnings. Yet, this transformation has a dual nature: while it offers flexibility and income opportunities, gig work also brings challenges, such as...

November 28, 2024
News, ,
Read more...