Flexibilization without hesitation? Temporary contracts and job satisfaction
We use German panel data to examine how fixed term employment affects utility derived from working. In contrast to previous research, we present evidence that working on a temporary contract lowers current job satisfaction. We discover that the honeymoon effect of a new job must be considered to reveal this result. Job insecurity appears to be the source of dissatisfaction associated with fixed term employment. We also consider regional unemployment and perceived employment security to shed light on the basic notion of flexicurity policies. Finally, we apply a life course perspective on employment careers to discuss the overall role of temporary employment for individual job satisfaction.