6359.0 - Forms of Employment, Australia, Nov 2007 Quality Declaration 
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 28/04/2008   
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SUMMARY OF FINDINGS


OVERVIEW

In November 2007, there were 10.4 million employed people, aged 15 years and over. Of these, 61% (6.3 million) were employees (excluding owner managers of incorporated enterprises (OMIEs)) with paid leave entitlements, that is, they were entitled to paid sick and/or paid holiday leave. Of the remaining employed people:

  • 2.2 million were employees (excluding OMIEs) without paid leave entitlements (a proxy for casual employees)
  • 1.2 million were owner managers of unincorporated enterprises (OMUEs)
  • 674,100 were OMIEs.
EMPLOYEES (EXCLUDING OMIES)

EMPLOYEES (excluding OMIEs), Age distribution - With or without paid leave entitlements
Graph: EMPLOYEES (Excluding OMIEs), Age distribution - With or without paid leave entitlements



Of the 6.3 million people who were employees (excluding OMIEs) with paid leave entitlements, 55% were men. Employees (excluding OMIEs) with paid leave entitlements, were concentrated in the 25-54 year age groups. Almost three-quarters of employees (excluding OMIEs) with paid leave entitlements were aged 25-54 years. In contrast, those without leave entitlements were concentrated in the younger age groups, with 39% aged 15-24 years. Just three per cent of people with paid leave entitlements were aged 15-19 years.



Full-time workers in main job

An estimated 71% of employees (excluding OMIEs) were full-time workers in their main job. Most employees who were full-time workers in their main job had paid leave entitlements (88%).


The industry group with the highest proportion of full-time workers with paid leave entitlements was Public administration and safety (96%) followed by Financial and insurance services (95%). The occupation group with the highest proportion of full-time workers with paid leave entitlements was Managers (95%).


The industry group with the lowest proportion of full-time workers with paid leave entitlements was Agriculture, forestry and fishing (44%), followed by Accommodation and food services (30%). The occupation group with the lowest proportion of full-time workers without paid leave entitlements was Labourers (27%).



Part-time workers in main job

Approximately 29% of employees (excluding OMIEs) were part-time workers in their main job. Less than half of these had paid leave entitlements (41%).


The industry group with the highest proportion of part-time workers with paid leave entitlements was Financial and insurance services (70%), followed by Health care and social assistance, and Public administration and safety (both 67%). The occupation group with the highest proportion of part-time workers with paid leave entitlements was Professionals (66%).


The industry group with the lowest proportion of part-time workers with paid leave entitlements was Accommodation and food services (13%) followed by Agriculture, forestry and fishing (16%). The occupation group with the lowest proportion of part-time workers with paid leave entitlements was Sales workers (23%).



Hours actually worked in main job

EMPLOYEES (excluding OMIEs), Hours actually worked in main job - With or without paid leave entitlements
Graph: EMPLOYEES (Excluding OMIEs), Hours actually worked in main job - With or without paid leave entitlements



Just under three per cent of employees (excluding OMIEs) with paid leave entitlements, worked between 1-14 hours in their main job compared to 29% of employees (excluding OMIEs) without paid leave entitlements.


Sixty seven per cent of employees (excluding OMIEs) with paid leave entitlements worked for 35 hours or more in their main job, while 12% worked less than 20 hours. About 74% of employees (excluding OMIEs) without paid leave entitlements worked less than 35 hours in their main job in the reference week, while 48% worked less than 20 hours.



Continuous duration with current employer/business

Of employees (excluding OMIEs) with paid leave entitlements one quarter (25%) reported that they had been with their current employer/business for ten years or more. In contrast, almost half (46%) of employees (excluding OMIEs) without paid leave entitlements had been with their current employer/business for less than one year, and a further 29% had been with their current employer/business for between 1 and 2 years.

EMPLOYEES (Excluding OMIEs), Continuous duration with current employer/business - By employment type
Graph: EMPLOYEES (Excluding OMIEs), Continuous duration with current employer/business - By employment type




Expected future duration with current employer/business

One-fifth of employees (excluding OMIEs) without paid leave entitlements (21%) did not expect to be with their current employer in 12 months time, compared to just eight per cent of employees (excluding OMIEs) with paid leave entitlements.



WORKED ON A FIXED-TERM CONTRACT

There were 506,100 employees (excluding OMIEs) whose employment had a set completion date/event. Of these, 366,800 employees (excluding OMIEs) worked on a fixed-term contract (75% of these had paid leave entitlements and 25% did not). Almost three-quarters (75%) of those on a fixed-term contract expected their contract to be renewed upon completion (78% of these had paid leave entitlements and 22% did not).

Diagram: Employees (excluding OMIEs)



OWNER MANAGERS

There were 1.9 million owner managers in November 2007, and almost two-thirds of these were owner managers of unincorporated enterprises (OMUEs).


Owner managers were concentrated in a small number of industries. Twenty per cent of all owner managers were in the Construction industry while 11% were in Agriculture, forestry and fishing.


About half (49%) of all people employed in Agriculture, forestry and fishing were OMUEs, while a further 13% were OMIEs. Twenty-eight per cent of people employed in the Construction industry were OMUEs and 13% were OMIEs. In the Professional, scientific and technical services industry, 15% of employed people were OMUEs and a further 12% were OMIEs.


Eleven per cent of people employed in the Wholesale trade industry were OMIEs while a further seven per cent were OMUEs.

OWNER MANAGERS, OMIEs/OMUEs as a proportion of all employed persons within each industry
Graph: OWNER MANAGERS, OMIEs OMUEs as a proportion of all employed persons within each industry



Owner managers were concentrated in a small number of occupation groups. Almost one quarter (24%) of all Managers were OMUEs, while a further 17% were OMIEs. Nineteen per cent of Technicians and trades workers were OMUEs, with a further six per cent OMIEs.

OWNER MANAGERS, OMIEs/OMUEs as a proportion of all employed persons within each occupation
Graph: OWNER MANAGERS, OMIEs/OMUEs as a proportion of all employed persons within each occupation




Continuous duration with current employer/business
OWNER MANAGERS, Continuous duration with current employer/business - By employment type
Graph: OWNER MANAGERS, Continuous duration with current employer/business - By employment type



Overall, owner managers had been with their current employer/business for a longer period compared to employees (excluding OMIEs). Sixty-one per cent of owner managers of incorporated enterprises had over six years of continuous duration with their current employer/business, as had just over half (54%) of owner managers of unincorporated enterprises.



Owner managers of unincorporated enterprises

An estimated 12% of employed people were OMUEs in their main job. Of these, 59% actually worked 35 hours or more in their main job in the reference week, while 30% worked 49 hours or more. Other characteristics of OMUEs in November 2007 included:

  • 67% were men
  • 21% worked in the Construction industry and 14% worked in the Agriculture, forestry and fishing industry
  • 26% were Managers and 25% were Technicians and trades workers.
Diagram: Owner managers of unincorporated enterprises


Of the 1.2 million owner managers of unincorporated enterprises, just over one-fifth worked on a contract basis, and of these, 78% were men.



Owner managers of incorporated enterprises

Diagram: Owner managers of incorporated enterprises


In November, 2007 there were 674,100 people who were OMIEs in their main job. About 70% of all OMIEs were males, and 61% of OMIEs were aged 35-54 years.


Approximately 70% of OMIEs actually worked 35 hours or more in their main job in the reference week, while 40% worked 49 hours or more.


Of the 674,100 owner managers of incorporated enterprises, 118,200 (18%) worked on a contract basis and of these, 83% were men.