The living tariff: a new benchmark for fair pay beyond standard employment

On Friday, 19 June, CELSI Managing Director Marta Kahancová presented a draft journal article titled "Pay-Setting Outside Standard Employment: Conceptualizing the Living Tariff."

The article addresses an important gap in existing pay-setting frameworks by introducing the concept of the living tariff – a cost-based benchmark for adequate remuneration among self-employed workers and others outside standard dependent employment.

While minimum wages and collective bargaining play a central role in determining pay for employees, comparable benchmarks remain largely absent for the growing share of workers outside standard employment relationships.

Building on the living wage methodology, the article develops a conceptual and methodological framework that reflects differences across countries, sectors, occupations, regions, and individual circumstances.

Initial empirical illustrations demonstrate the potential of the living tariff as a tool for analysing income adequacy among own-account workers.

The discussion focused particularly on how the empirical dimension of the article can be strengthened through more systematic use of available data and analytical methods.

Participants provided valuable suggestions on enhancing the empirical contribution and further developing the article towards publication in a leading academic journal.

Many thanks to everyone who joined the seminar and contributed their insights, comments, and recommendations.

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