COVID-19 context and job insecurity among casual employees: The predictive value of education, financial stress, and coping ability

Abstract

This study examined COVID-19 mitigation and job insecurity among casual employees and the role of educational attainment, coping ability, and financial stress in that relationship. We surveyed 238 casual employees from five industries in the Southwestern part of Nigeria (female= 23.5%; age range= 20-56 years, mean age= 32.63 years, SD = 7.50 years) on their job insecurity in the COVID-19 pandemic. This was done in relation to educational attainment, coping ability, and financial stress. In a three-model hierarchical linear regression, educational attainment was the most predictive of job insecurity, followed by financial stress; then coping ability. There was no interactive effect of coping ability and financial stress on job insecurity. Separately, gender, age, and number of years of work experience of casual employees had no effect on their perceptions of job insecurity. Our findings suggest that regardless of gender, age, or years of work experience of casual employees, they perceived better job stability and opportunities during COVID-19 pandemic if they have a higher education, are financially stress-free, and can manage challenges that come their way.