jobtiendrai

Jobtiendrai is a term used in labor studies and policy debates to describe a proposed or hypothetical category of employment arrangement that blends features of permanent contracts with the flexibility associated with gig or contingent work. In typical formulations, a jobtiendrai contract guarantees a minimum number of working hours or a stable baseline income, while allowing the employer to adjust workload within agreed bands and to redeploy tasks among workers as demand shifts. The arrangement may also include access to training, career development, and a defined path toward permanent employment. The concept is often presented as a middle ground between traditional full-time work and flexible, project-based arrangements.

Etymology and terminology reflect its experimental status. The coinage combines the English word “job” with the French verb form tiendrai (I will hold), chosen to evoke the idea of maintaining a job into the future. Because it is not standardized in law or widely adopted in practice, the term appears primarily in academic and policy discussions.

Context and debates. Jobtiendrai arose in late 2010s and early 2020s debates about the gig economy and worker protections, particularly in Francophone and European policy circles. It is used to illustrate design options for stabilizing earnings and career progression without fully erasing flexible staffing models.

Criticism and reception. Supporters argue it could reduce precarity and improve access to training, while critics warn of administrative complexity, potential blurring of employee criteria, and uneven protections across jurisdictions.

See also: permanent contract, gig economy, employment law, labor market reforms.