Job quality before and after work injury

Reasons for the study

Every year, hundreds of thousands of workers in Canada sustain an injury at work. Many of those injured workers experience challenges in the labour market, including higher rates of unemployment and economic insecurity. These are particularly salient issues in today’s labour market, where a growing number of jobs are precarious and offer little in the way of stability, pay, and opportunities for advancement. Rather than promote social and economic well-being, lower quality jobs may exacerbate the challenges that injured workers face. While research suggests that job quality can play a vital role in improving the social and economic outcomes of injured workers, these dynamics are not well understood. There is in fact very limited research examining the job quality of injured workers. As a result, we know little about the labour market outcomes of individuals who sustain an injury on the job, and even less about how they differ from the labour market outcomes of their non-injured peers. This project examines the job quality of injured workers in Canada. Its overarching goal is to provide a comprehensive and dynamic portrait of working life before and after work injury.

Objectives of the study

Target audience

This research is relevant to injured workers, federal and provincial labour ministries, employers, workplace compensation boards, health and safety professionals, and community organizations interested in issues related to the quality of work and employment. Findings will assist with the development of effective policies and practices to improve employment standards, reduce work-related injuries, and support safe and meaningful employment opportunities for those who sustain an injury at work.