The Impact of Firm Closures and Job Loss on Participation in Gig Work : A Causal Analysis

This study uses data from the Statistics Canada Longitudinal Worker File linked to Canadian census records to examine the impact of firm closures and involuntary job loss on entry into gig work. The analysis distinguishes between the actions of those who experienced an actual layoff associated with a firm closure and those who worked in a closing firm but did not necessarily wait until the closure (“impending layoff”). The results show that job displacement associated with firm closures roughly doubles the probability of entry into gig work in the year of displacement and the following year