Working Part-Time: Earnings Penalties Among People with Disabilities Across Occupational Groups in France

In Sociological Quarterly, Célia Bouchet, Michelle Maroto, and David Pettinicchio investigate the factors that motivate people with disabilities in France to work on a part-time basis and that shape their labour market experiences and outcomes. The authors highlight structural factors—beyond disability status— that shape employment outcomes and are not fully addressed by equal pay policies for part- and full-time workers.

David Pettinicchio is CGSP-affiliated faculty and the Principal Investigator of the Disability-Based Inequalities research project.

Citation

Bouchet, C., Maroto, M., & Pettinicchio, D. (2025). Working Part-Time: Earnings Penalties Among People with Disabilities Across Occupational Groups in France. Sociological Quarterly, 1–24. https://doi.org/10.1080/00380253.2025.2538171

Abstract

Although part-time work can provide important accommodations and flexibility for people with disabilities, the rise of contingent labor has left many of these workers in lower-paid jobs that are often associated with manual labor or routine service work. Why do people with disabilities work part-time? What are the benefits and drawbacks of part-time work, and do these vary across occupations? Using data from the 2013–2019 French Labor Force Survey (N = 122,033), we find that people with disabilities are more likely to work part-time across occupations, citing health reasons or the lack of full-time work opportunities. These higher rates of part-time work contribute to disability-related earnings gaps, but even among part-time workers, people with disabilities earn less than those without disabilities and experience wage penalties that can vary across occupations. By focusing on the reasons for part-time work and its effects across occupational groups, our analysis highlights structural factors—beyond disability status— that shape employment outcomes and are not fully addressed by equal pay policies for part- and full-time workers.