A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE DETERMINANTS OF MOONLIGHTING BETWEEN WORKING POOR AND WORKING NON-POOR IN SRI LANKA

Abstract

71 A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF THE DETERMINANTS OF MOONLIGHTING BETWEEN WORKING POOR AND WORKING NON-POOR IN SRI LANKA H.T.S. Jayasinghe and G.R.S.R.C Samaraweera Received: 22 October 2025 Revised: 19 December 2025 Accepted: 29 December 2025 How to Cite this Article: Jayasinghe H.T.S. and Samaraweera G.R.S.R.C. (2025). A Comparative Study of the Determinants of Moonlighting Between Working Poor and Working Non-Poor in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka Journal of Economics, Statistics, and Information Management, 4(2), 71-89 Abstract Moonlighting, defined as holding multiple jobs simultaneously, has become a growing feature in the labour markets, particularly in developing economies where primary employment wages are insufficient to meet basic needs. The main objective of the study is to determine the factors influencing moonlighting comparatively among the working poor and working non-poor in Sri Lanka. It draws from the microdata of the 2022 Sri Lanka Labour Force Survey of the Department of Census and Statistics, which includes employed individuals aged 15 and above. The working poverty line is based on district-level minimum expenditure per person per month provided by the Department of Census and Statistics for the year 2022. The binary logistic regression model was used by this study as the main analytical tool. The findings indicate that age, gender, marital status, residential sector and hours of primary employment are determinants of moonlighting for both the working poor and non-poor. In addition, the household size and income of the primary job are determinants specific to the working poor, while the industrial sector of the main job is a determinant for the working non-poor. Furthermore, moonlighting serves a dual function; it acts as a survival strategy for economically vulnerable workers while also highlighting deeper structural issues, such as labour market segmentation and inadequate wages. The study emphasises the need for policy measures that promote decent employment, enhance social protection systems and reduce wage inequalities to alleviate work poverty.