EMPLOYEE EARNINGS AND HOURS
PURPOSE
To collect data on the distribution and composition of the earnings and hours of wage and salary earners in Australia, and whether their pay is set by award, collective agreement, individual agreement or contract. Data are available for culture and leisure industries and occupations.
DESCRIPTION
The survey of Employee Earnings and Hours (EEH) is a sample survey of employers conducted by mail biennially in May. All wage and salary earners who received pay for the reference period (the last pay period ending on or before a specified date in May) are represented in the survey except: members of the Australian permanent defence forces; employees of businesses primarily engaged in agriculture, forestry and fishing; employees of private households employing staff; employees of overseas embassies, consulates etc; employees based outside Australia; and employees on worker's compensation who are not paid through the payroll.
The survey is based on a two stage sample design. The first stage involves selection of a sample of approximately 9,000 employers from the ABS business register. The sample is designed to ensure adequate State or Territory and industry representation. The second stage involves those employers selecting a sample of employees using sampling instructions supplied by the ABS. Data for approximately 55,000 employees were collected for the May 2004 survey.
GEOGRAPHIC COVERAGE
Australia
FREQUENCY OF COLLECTION
This survey is conducted every two years.
DATA ITEMS
Occupation
Occupations of employees are classified according to the Australian Standard Classification of Occupations (ASCO), second edition, to the 4-digit level. See ASCO codes related to culture and leisure for further details.
Industry
The industry of each employer is classified according to the Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification (ANZSIC), 1993, to the 2-digit level. See ANZSIC codes related to culture and leisure for further details.
Distribution of employees
Weekly ordinary time earnings
Weekly ordinary time hours paid for
Weekly overtime earnings
Weekly overtime hours paid for
Weekly total earnings
Weekly total hours paid for
Composition of earnings
Average weekly ordinary time earnings
Average weekly overtime earnings
Average weekly total earnings
Average earnings and hours - non-managerial employees
Average hourly ordinary time earnings
Average weekly ordinary time hours paid for
Average hourly total earnings
Average weekly total hours paid for
Average weekly overtime hours paid for
Methods of setting pay
Awards only
Registered collective agreements
Registered individual agreements
Unregistered collective agreements
Unregistered individual agreements
Methods of setting pay - jurisdiction
Records, for registered agreements, whether jurisdiction is Federal or State.
Characteristics of employees
Age (under 18 years; 18 years and under 21 years; 21 years and over)
Sex
Full-time or part-time
Status of employee (working proprietor, managerial or executive employee; supervisor; other employee)
Permanent, temporary or casual
Characteristics of employers
Private or public sector
Public institutional sector
Level of government (public sector)
Employer size (under 20 employees; 20 to 49; 50 to 99; 100 to 499; 500 to 999; 1000 and over employees)
Geographic area
Australia, States and Territories
HISTORICAL DATA
The collection began in 1974 and was conducted annually until 1981, when it changed to a biennial basis. As a result, no survey was run in 1982 or 1984. However, in 1986, it was resumed on an annual basis until 1996, when it reverted to a biennial collection.
Because of the two stage sampling methodology used for this survey to arrive at a sample of employees, it is not possible to ensure that the representation of all the subgroups of interest in the sample accurately reflects their representation in the population. Because of this, caution should be taken if using the estimates as a time series (especially estimates relating to occupation). The survey methodology and sample design are set up to provide accurate ‘snapshots’ of data rather than time series data. Nevertheless average weekly earnings and hours data at aggregate levels have been found to be consistent over time as long as very fine level classifications are not used. Occupation classifications were changed in 1986 and again in 1996.
DISSEMINATION
Publications
Australian Bureau of Statistics, Employee Earnings and Hours, Australia, Cat. No. 6306.0, ABS, Canberra. Price $27.00.
Other
National Sport and Recreation Industry Database and Directory (NSRIDD).
CONTACT
In the first instance, refer to To obtain data or further information in the Introduction to this directory.
Assistant Director
Labour National Project Centre
Australian Bureau of Statistics
GPO Box K881
PERTH WA 6001
Telephone: Perth 08 9360 5305
Facsimile: Perth 08 9360 5956
Email: client.services@abs.gov.au
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