This article explores how temporary employment in academia can lead to gender inequality. An academic career is seen as individual «extreme sport» and temporary positions are perceived as insecure. Structural conditions of the organization are talked about in gender-neutral language, and structural hindrances are individualized. Findings in this study, however, indicate that some structural factors – including temporary positions – can have gendered consequences. The increased use of temporary positions in academia – as part of an «ideal career» – needs to be seen in connection to gender equality measures in academia.

This article estimates the relationship between automation probabilities constructed by Frey and Osborne and employment share within 348 Norwegian occupations. When considering the time period 2009–2016, I find a negative and significant correlation between the change in occupational employment and automation. This relationship is stronger for women and individuals with secondary education. My study shows that the threat of automation is real, and that upcoming technology could have a bigger labour-saving effect than before. I find also evidence supporting the fact that we are facing a restructured rather than a jobless future.

Some groups of immigrants have a weak connection to the labour market. Supported Employment (SE), a research-based approach to work inclusion of vulnerable groups, has recently been applied in labour market measures for refugees and immigrants in Norway. The purpose of this article is to identify initial factors for implementation of SE in such measures. The article categorizes such factors on system, organizational, group and individual levels and in relation to instructions for SE. The analysis is based on qualitative data from eight experimental projects with the Introductory program for newly arrived refugees and Job Opportunity program for stay-at-home immigrant women.

We investigate whether participation in ordinary labor market programs increases the chances that refugees get work, start an education or receive social security. The study covers the period from 1992 to 2015, and we carry out separate analyses for the period before and after the ʻIntroductory program’ was launched. The results indicate stronger effects of labor market measures before rather than after the Introductory program. This is particularly true for training courses, which may be related to the increased provision of language training and the opportunity to take ordinary education in connection with the Introductory program. The effect of programs on the opportunities to get to work is modest. There are also clear indications that participation in measures helps to reduce social security dependency before the introduction of the introductory program, but not after.

Differences in attitudes have been suggested as a plausible explanation for the persistent gender difference in sick leave. We investigate whether there are gender differences in opinions on the use of sickness absence in situations where, strictly speaking, it is not legitimate. The analysis shows that women have a greater inclination than men do to accept this type of unjustified sickness absence. The difference is small but robust over time and between age groups. In addition, men are generally stricter than women when considering different reasons for sick leave, and the length of an absence.