Economist's team finds casual work `toxic' to society and to employees
Part-time, casual and contract employment is "toxic" to workers' health and has broader societal costs we ignore at our peril, says a McMaster University economist who is writing a book on the subject. "These jobs are really about insecurity," said Wayne Lewchuk, who leads a team of researchers examining the impact of insecure employment on health. He's found it's not just immigrants and low-skilled workers who suffer. Contract work is now commonplace among professions ranging from university lecturers to architects and accountants.