Italian Workers at Risk during the COVID-19 Epidemic

25 Pages Posted: 10 Apr 2020 Last revised: 14 Apr 2020

See all articles by Teresa Barbieri

Teresa Barbieri

University of Turin

Gaetano Basso

Bank of Italy

Sergio Scicchitano

John Cabot University; Global Labor Organization (GLO); Istituto Nazionale per l’Analisi delle Politiche Pubbliche (INAPP)

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Date Written: April 12, 2020

Abstract

We analyse the content of Italian occupations operating in about 600 sectors with a focus on the dimensions that expose workers to contagion risks during the COVID-19 epidemics. To do so we leverage extremely detailed and granular information from ICP, the Italian equivalent of O*Net. We find that several sectors need physical proximity to operate: the workers employed in Italy in sectors whose physical proximity index is above the national average are more than 6.5 million (most of them in retail trade). Groups at risk of contagion and complications from COVID-19 (mainly male above the age of 50) work in sectors that are little exposed to physical proximity, currently under lockdown or can work remotely. The sectoral lockdowns put in place by the Italian Government in March 2020 seem to have targeted sectors who operate in physical proximity, but not those directly exposed to infections (the health industry is not subject to lockdown). Most workers who can operate from home have not been put under lockdown and are currently working. Therefore, the number of workers who are not in workplaces could be up to 3 million higher than those whose sector has been shutdown.

Keywords: Working conditions, Safety, Crisis policies, COVID-19 epidemics

JEL Classification: J28, J81, H12, I18

Suggested Citation

Barbieri, Teresa and Basso, Gaetano and Scicchitano, Sergio, Italian Workers at Risk during the COVID-19 Epidemic (April 12, 2020). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3572065 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.3572065

Teresa Barbieri

University of Turin ( email )

Corso Unione Sovietica 218bis
Torino, 10134
Italy

Gaetano Basso (Contact Author)

Bank of Italy ( email )

Via Nazionale 91
Rome, 00184
Italy

Sergio Scicchitano

John Cabot University ( email )

via della lungara 10
roma, 00179
Italy
3929874656 (Phone)

Global Labor Organization (GLO) ( email )

Collogne
Germany

Istituto Nazionale per l’Analisi delle Politiche Pubbliche (INAPP) ( email )

Corso d’Italia, 33
Roma, 00198
Italy

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