Working time options over the life course : changing social security structures

How can employees juggle better the conflicting time constraints which arise at the so-called 'rush hour of life' - time for having and raising children, caring for dependants, investing in lifelong learning, building a house and progressing in their career? With the Lisbon Agenda, the European Union has committed itself to a fundamental reform process, including a restructuring of its labour markets, social security systems and working time regimes. This report looks into the potential re-shaping of time, income and social security provision over an individual's life course. Its uses the model of the life course perspective - how to distribute time and income over the life course - to plot out various scenarios for re-distributing time in line with an individual's personal needs. The overall aim is to show how flexible time arrangements over the life course can lead to better individual quality of life - without impacting negatively on income level and social security benefits.