The importance of non-standard employment forms has increased over the last decades. Janine Leschke addresses two important questions in this regard. First, do workers with part-time and temporary contracts face greater risks of becoming unemployed than those with regular contracts? Secondly, how far are they disadvantaged in terms of access to and level of unemployment benefits? The author compares the design of unemployment benefit systems in Denmark, Germany, Spain, and the United Kingdom. After discussing the development and role of non-standard employment in these countries, she examines the relevant features of unemployment insurance systems such as hours and earning thresholds and minimum contribution requirements. Her empirical analysis shows that non-standard workers are more likely to become unemployed or inactive and are disadvantaged in their entitlements to unemployment benefits.

Autorentext
Dr. Janine Leschke completed her doctoral studies under the supervision of Prof. Dr. Günther Schmid at the Otto-Suhr-Institute of Political Sciences at the Freie Universität in Berlin. She does research on employment and social policy at the European Trade Union Institute for Research, Education and Health and Safety in Brussels.

Zusammenfassung
Non-standard employment forms have been gaining in importance in western European countries since the 1980s, with the growing labour market partici- tion of women and continuing mass unemployment. The promotion of more flexible employment in the form of part-time employment, temporary empl- ment and self-employment is seen as a possible solution to persistent unempl- ment, underemployment and also to the need to better reconcile work and family life. Flexible employment forms as a remedy for unemployment have in fact been actively promoted through labour market policies. Social insurance systems thus, by installing and preferring certain measures, contribute to the diffusion of insecure employment. In the context of the German Hartz reforms policy inst- ments that encourage self-employment (Ich-AG), marginal employment (Mi- and Midi-jobs) and temporary work agency employment (PSA), for example, have been introduced or broadened. Flexible employment forms are in many countries also promoted through incentives and subsidies or indirectly through changing the law in relation to employment rights (for country-specific examples see Rubery et al. 1998a: 188 et seqq.).

Inhalt
Theoretical background.- Labour market indicators and the occurrence of non-standard employment.- Regulation of temporary and part-time employment and reasons for using them.- Are unemployment insurance systems adapting to non-standard employment?.- Risk of job loss and the insurance situation of non-standard workers.- Conclusion.