Reallocating Labor from Within: Worker Preferences for Dual-Job Arrangements

Thomas Dohmen (), Jonas Radbruch (), Steffen Künn () and Amelie Schiprowski ()

CRC TR 224 Discussion Paper Series from University of Bonn and University of Mannheim, Germany

Abstract: This paper studies workers’ preferences for dual-job arrangements in which workers reduce hours in primary employment to take up a secondary job in a different occupation to increase task variety and job satisfaction. Using a discrete choice experiment embedded in a survey of 5,238 full-time, prime-age workers in permanent jobs in Germany, we ask respondents to compare their current job to a hypothetical dual-job arrangement that varies in earnings, contractual security, job-search support, and training requirements. We find that nearly half of respondents choose a dual-job arrangement in at least one out of five choice tasks presented to them. Earnings changes have large effects on acceptance, and contractual risk is a central non-wage determinant: guaranteed return options substantially increase participation and command high willingness-to-pay. Overall, the results indicate that a considerable share of workers is willing to reallocate working time across jobs primarily when income stability and employment security are preserved.

Keywords: Secondary employment; Labor supply; Worker preferences; Discrete choice experiment. (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: C25 J22 J28 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 30
Date: 2026-10
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-dcm, nep-eur, nep-exp and nep-lma
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