Australian Bureau of Statistics
Celebrating the International Year of Statistics 2013

	MEDIA RELEASE
23 February, 2010	Embargo: 11.30 am (CANBERRA TIME) 23/02/2010	17/2010

On average, older Australian workers experience longer periods of underemployment, despite underemployment generally being more common among younger workers, according to figures released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

In September 2009, almost half (48%) of part-time underemployed people aged 45-54 years, and 45% of those aged 55 years and over, had been underemployed for one year or more.

The average number of extra hours that underemployed part-time workers wanted rose from 13.4 hours per week in September 2008 to 14.1 in September 2009. However, the average number of hours usually worked by part-time underemployed people remained at 17 hours per week over the same period.

The main difficulties in obtaining more hours reported were 'no vacancies in line of work' (21%) and 'no vacancies at all' (16%).

Further details can be found in Underemployed Workers, Australia, September 2009 (cat. no. 6265.0).

Media notes:

• Please ensure when reporting on ABS data that you attribute the Australian Bureau of Statistics (or ABS) as the source.
• For estimates of the number of underemployed people, over time, refer to Labour Force, Australia (cat. no. 6202.0).