How Do Self-Employed Workers Navigate Illness? A Gender-Based Analysis of Informal Support Systems.

Area of Science:

• Sociology
• Economics
• Gender Studies

Background:

• Self-employment (SE) is a growing labor market segment.
• Solo SE workers often lack access to formal social safety nets.
• Understanding informal support systems is crucial for SE worker well-being.

Purpose of the Study:

• Examine how solo SE men and women in Ontario, Canada, navigate informal support during health-related disruptions.
• Investigate gendered motivations for entering self-employment.
• Analyze how gender norms shape access to and use of informal supports.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative narrative approach with an intersectionality framework.
• Interviews with 24 solo SE workers experiencing illness or income loss.
• Analysis using Riessman's narrative thematic method to identify gendered experiences.

Main Results:

• Distinct gendered patterns in SE motivations and informal support access.
• Women prioritized flexibility for caregiving, relying on close family.
• Men sought income/autonomy, using broader networks and avoiding emotional disclosure.
• Personal savings were a key coping mechanism, but insufficient for low-income/gig workers.

Conclusions:

• Informal support acts as an uneven safety net for solo SE workers, shaped by gender norms.
• Policy reforms are needed to extend income protection and social security for the self-employed.
• Gender-responsive policies are essential to address structural gaps.