Marginal employment has considerably increased since the early 1990s, one of the rea-sons being legal changes. Meanwhile it has become a major element of the German labour market. In the same period, the availability of statistical information on that type of em-ployment has markedly improved, too. This is because, first, comprehensive analyses of various data sources and intensive methodological activities aimed at improving the micro-census have successfully been carried out. Second, a major additional information source became available when, in 1999, marginal employment was included in the employment statistics of the Federal Employment Agency.
At the same time, however, the information obtained showed persisting problems. The results of the microcensus and of employment statistics differ markedly. That prompted many user questions and a lively discussion among experts. To put the studies on a solid empirical basis, the Federal Statistical Office and the Federal Employment Agency jointly initiated a register survey.
Published in March 2012
Datum 30.03.2012
