Has COVID-19 (corona virus) changed the employment status of households?: findings from Nyago village, Makindye Division

Abstract

This research project intended to establish the changes in employment status of residents of Nyago village due to corona virus (COVID-19) pandemic. It was carried out as a step-by-step project until it was successfully completed. The research findings were based on a sample size of 96 which was determined using Cochran’s Formula (1963) at 5% level of precision and research face to face interviews were conducted with residents with a guide of a well-designed questionnaire containing all the predetermined questions. The collected data was analyzed using STATA and inference was made from this analysis at Univariate, bivariate and multivariate levels. Following results from the analysis, it was found out that sex, post-secondary education level and change in the economic activity were the only variables that significantly affected the change in the employment status of the households of Nyago village due to covid 19 pandemic at 5% level of significance. It was observed that female households were 3.384 times more likely to change their employment status than males. It was further revealed that those who attained post-secondary level of education were 0.217 times less likely to change their employment status due to covid 19 pandemic than those who attained primary level of education. Lastly, it was found that those who had a change in their economic activities were 125.963 times more likely to change their employment status than those who had no change in their economic activities. Basing on the research results from this study, it was found out that change in employment status is associated with financial risks and lower income. Therefore, the government and policy makers were recommended to adopt specific actions of extending assistance to females in form of cash transfers, food subsidies to women in vulnerable households, income support programs, financial literacy training and encouraging women to open savings accounts hence enabling them to pass through COVID-19 crisis without losing their jobs. The study also recommended that the government should make higher education accessible by all kinds of income earners as it significantly reduces the change in employment status. Lastly, the study recommended that the government should provide immediate liquidity to economic activities or businesses affected by the crisis through the corona virus response investment initiative hence reducing the change in employment status among households of Nyago village.