| Abstract [eng] |
Traditionally, employment has been perceived as the primary means of ensuring social integration and economic stability; however, recent studies increasingly demonstrate that having a job does not necessarily guarantee sufficient income or an adequate standard of living. Some workers, despite continuous participation in the labour market, still face financial difficulties when their own or their household’s income is insufficient to meet basic needs and ensure economic security. This indicates that in contemporary society poverty is becoming not only an issue of unemployment, but also of employment. Research object: Determinants of in-work poverty in Lithuania. Research aim: To evaluate the factors that influence the risk level of in-work poverty and determine which of them have the greatest impact. The first part discusses the research problem and main trends by reviewing insights and findings from the academic literature on in-work poverty. It identifies the key factors influencing the occurrence and prevalence of in-work poverty. In addition, statistical data are analyzed to evaluate changes in the level of in-work poverty, employment rates, and trends in minimum and average wages in Lithuania and the European Union. The second part presents the theoretical framework, including the concept and main theoretical approaches to in-work poverty. It provides a more detailed analysis of the factors determining in work poverty, which are grouped into three main categories: individual factors (age, gender, education level, and household composition), labour market factors (type of employment contract, work intensity, and occupational field), and institutional factors (minimum wage and the tax system). The third part describes the research methodology used to assess the determinants of in-work poverty. It outlines the selected variables, the time periods analyzed, and the main stages of the empirical analysis. The econometric analysis conducted in the fourth part of the thesis showed that in-work poverty in Lithuania is significantly affected by part-time employment, self-employment, fixed-term employment contracts, and households with children. The results revealed that increases in these factors are associated with higher levels of in-work poverty. A significant causal relationship was also found between the number of single people and in-work poverty, although this effect appears only after a certain period. Meanwhile, no statistically significant effect was identified for higher and secondary education, full-time employment, minimum wage, or average wage variables. |
