Is Job Guarantee a solution to work precarisation? A normative analysis and an empirical approach for the Uruguayan case

Abstract

This paper examines whether a Job Guarantee (JG) programme can adequately address the issue of work precarisation. A JG, in its canonical form, offers employment to anyone willing and able to work. Despite renewed academic interest, the normative foundations and economic viability of this policy remain underdeveloped. This paper contributes to addressing these gaps in two ways. First, by defining the type of job a JG must provide, it reconstructs the ethical dimension of dignified work by identifying the criteria that distinguish it from precarious employment. We argue for a moralised minimal threshold: at a minimum, a dignified job must secure freedom from domination through a guaranteed wage and stable employment, and ideally foster reciprocity and self-realisation. Second, the paper evaluates the feasibility and potential impact of implementing a JG in Uruguay—a country with a relatively robust social security system compared to other Latin American nations, yet where 25% of the working population do not contribute to social security. Using microsimulations, we show that a well-designed JG could increase formal employment, reduce poverty, and improve income distribution. These findings support the case for a specific version of the JG as a normatively grounded and economically viable solution to work precarisation in segmented labour markets.