PANAJI
Women in Goa are the most vulnerable to informal employment without social security, with lower education and prolonged unemployment further increasing the risk, a Goa University PhD study has found.
The study also identifies migrants and workers with lower levels of education as particularly likely to end up in informal employment, highlighting the structural factors driving jobs without social security benefits in the State.
The PhD thesis, A Study of Informal Employment in Goa, by Gouri Kanta Manerkar of the Goa Business School, examined the characteristics and determinants of informal employment through a survey of 400 workers across six talukas in North and South Goa.
The survey, conducted between October 2020 and March 2022, covered Tiswadi, Pernem and Sattari in North Goa, and Salcete, Mormugao and Sanguem in South Goa.
The study found that women faced a higher probability of informal employment than men, while every additional year of education significantly reduced the likelihood of a worker entering the informal sector.
Migrants and family breadwinners were also more likely to accept informal jobs, while longer periods of unemployment increased the chances of workers taking up employment without social security benefits.
Among industries, construction, hotels and restaurants, and personal services emerged as sectors with the highest incidence of informal employment, reflecting the nature of Goa's service-oriented economy.
The research found that workers employed in firms with fewer than 10 employees and those recruited through subcontractors faced significantly higher levels of informality. This indicates that the nature of the workplace and recruitment arrangements can be as important as an individual's demographic characteristics in determining whether they secure formal employment.
The service sector was deliberately selected for the study as it accounts for a significant share of Goa's economy, particularly through activities such as trade, hospitality and financial services.
The thesis concludes that informal employment in Goa is driven by a combination of demographic, educational and workplace factors. It recommends strengthening labour regulations, expanding social security coverage, promoting skill development and encouraging formalisation, particularly among small enterprises and service-sector employers.
