VEGA project successfully completed: Causes and Consequences of Labour Market Inequalities in the Context of the Corona Pandemic in Slovakia

The project examined the issue of inequalities in the labour market in the context of the Corona pandemic, which posed challenges from the perspective of companies, individuals and the state in organising work, in working life, and in coping with the economic, social and health consequences of the crisis. We used both qualitative and quantitative methods, including innovative approaches and new data collection. The research carried out can be seen as strongly linked to the European Research Area, using an interdisciplinary approach informed by theories and methods from economics, sociology, political science, public policy and gender studies, and also closely linked to the policy sphere.

The main contribution of the project lies in its comprehensive and interdisciplinary mapping of the implications of the Corona pandemic on the mosaic of socio-economic inequalities. The results of the project confirm the persistence of inequalities in the Slovak labour market. Several disadvantaged groups face particular barriers in the Slovak labour market, and these have been exacerbated by the Corona pandemic. The pandemic has also accelerated the process of green and digital transition, with a particular impact on vulnerable groups in the labour market. In addition to the traditional vulnerable groups, the project identified challenges for workers, including highly skilled workers, who were put under pressure to adapt quickly due to the impact of the pandemic, with implications for mental health. In terms of interventions, strengthening collaboration between public, private and non-profit sector actors, as well as promoting social dialogue, is proving to be effective.

We thank the Scientific Grant Agency of the Ministry of Education, Science, Research and Sport of the Slovak Republic and Slovak Academy of Sciences (VEGA) for the financial support of this project, and congratulate the whole team for achieving excellent results, namely: Lucia Mýtna Kureková, Ivana Studená, Lucia Kováčová, Miroslav Štefánik, Nikoleta Oravec Slavíková, Brian Fabo and Zuzana Polačková.