A Spatial Analysis of Precarious Forms of Employment in France

Abstract This paper provides the first detailed analysis of the spatial dimensions of precarious employment across the F rench territory. We find that different forms of precarious employment exhibit different spatial patterns. The most striking locational pattern is shown by fixed‐term contracts and part‐time work where we observe clusters of high levels of precarious employment primarily in southern regions. Northern regions, in contrast, are characterised by clusters of low levels of precarious employment. We also find that precarious employment is predominantly a rural phenomenon with the exception of temporary (interim) work which displays higher average levels in urban communes. Finally, modelling results suggest that the geographical distribution of precarious forms of employment is linked to factors such as the unemployment rate, the industrial composition of a region, gender and the structure of family households.