Social protection systems and labour markets have undergone major changes in the past two decades. Welfare states are being reformed, scaled back and modernised; labour markets, at the same time, are more precarious, more feminised, more unequal, and throughout the OECD area, older. The interaction between labour markets and social protection has become increasingly crucial to the social and economic policy mix concerning unemployment, the transformation of work, the new? poverty, and even demographics. Against this background, an interdisciplinary team of leading labour market and social protection experts from various OECD countries examine the multifaceted aspects of the changing relationship between social protection systems and labour markets. They identify and analyse key emerging issues, such as the link between employment and social protection financing, the adaptation of social protection systems to women's career patterns, and the development of new forms of social protection that aim at promoting employment. With practical policy guides and recommendations using case studies and comparative chapters, this will be engaging reading for policy-makers, social actors and academics alike.

Contents: Introduction: Tight constraints, new demands and old needs: addressing the labour market versus social protection challenge, Hedva Sarfati and Giuliano Bonoli. The interaction Between Social Protection Reform and Labour Market Shifts: Key issues: Labour market and social protection policies: linkages and interactions, Hedva Sarfati; Different routes to improved employment in Europe, Jÿrgen Goul Andersen with Jan Bendix Jensen; Employment stability and flexibility in industralized countries: the resilience of the long duration employment relationship, Peter Auer and Sandrine Cazes; The individualization of rights in social protection systems, Maria Jepsen and Danièle Meulders; Employment standards and social protection standards: the impact of the diversified working arrangements (trends in Western Europe), Jacques Freyssinet; Gender and social protection reforms, Jay Ginn; The future of employment in Europe: elements for analysis drawn from the case of France, Hugues de Jouvenel and Alain Parant; Creating service jobs: lessons from extra-European experiences, Pascal Ughetto. Social Protection and Labour Market Trajectories in Selected Countries and World Regions: Social protection and labour market outcomes in Australia, Raymond Harbridge and Prue Bagley; Labour market reform in New Zealand, Ray Harbridge and Pat Walsh; The new Zealand reforms: outcomes and new directions, Anne de Bruin; Central and Eastern European countries - the transition from a planned to a market economy - what consequences for social security?, Henri Lourdelle; The Danish model of Flexicurity: a paradise - with some snakes, Per Kongshÿj Madsen; Adjusting welfare policies to stimulate job entry: the example of the United Kingdom, Jane Millar; A critical view of the incentives to help benefit receipients into work in The Netherlands, Frans Pennings. Alternative Policy Mix Scenarios: Can social protection respond to the challenges of precarious jobs, better access to employmen