Beschäftigung in haushaltsnahen Dienstleistungen

The promotion of employment in household services in the European Union is one measure to increase activity rates. While the current EU employment strategy focuses on the need to achieve and sustain higher rates of economic and employment growth, the policy approach also emphasises the importance of creating good quality jobs. A recent Foundation research project has been examining job creation in household services, looking in particular at the experiences of paid workers in this sector. Household services cover five fields: child care, eldercare, domestic cleaning, home maintenance and catering. The research addresses concerns about the quality of this employment and the working conditions, as well as highlighting the implications for equal opportunities and social inclusion.