For simplicity, the number of hours worked in the survey year is used as a proxy for the number of hours worked in the preceding year - an assumption that appears reasonable given the strong link between the number of hours worked and the earnings variable as given by the quantile regressions. Individuals of working age (defined as individuals aged between 15 and 64) are included in the analysis if their selfdefined economic status is “working” and if their earnings are positive (although rare in the datasets, negative earnings may occur if self-employed individuals make a loss on their business). For instance, this includes part-time workers but excludes students that regard a job as a secondary activity. The sample covers both dependent and self-employed individuals (restricting the analysis instead to employees hardly affects the results).