6342.0 - Working Time Arrangements, Australia, Nov 2006  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 29/05/2007   
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SUMMARY OF FINDINGS


OVERVIEW

In November 2006, there were 8.6 million employees aged 15 years and over. Of these, 92% (8 million) were employees (excluding owner managers of incorporated enterprises (OMIEs)). Of these:

  • 60% did not have any say in their start and finish times
  • 72% could choose when their holidays were taken
  • 38% were able to work extra hours in order to take time off
  • 37% usually worked extra hours or overtime
  • 17% usually worked shift work
  • 23% had earnings which varied from one pay period to the next
  • 36% had hours that varied weekly or they were usually required to be on call or standby.


EMPLOYEES IN MAIN JOB

Patterns of work of single and multiple jobholders

There were 8.1 million employees who were single jobholders in November 2006. Of these:
  • 15% usually worked on Saturdays and 7.4% usually worked on Sundays
  • 71% worked on weekdays only, while 28% worked on both weekdays and weekends
  • 28% usually worked between the hours of 7pm and 7am.

In comparison, there were 493,900 employees who were multiple jobholders in November 2006. Of these:
  • 39% usually worked on Saturdays and 26% usually worked on Sundays
  • 43% worked on weekdays only, while 56% worked on both weekdays and weekends
  • 56% usually worked between the hours of 7pm and 7am.

In November 2006, 54% of employees who were single jobholders were men. In contrast, most employees who were multiple jobholders were women (58% compared to 42% of men).


Men who were single jobholders were more likely to work Monday to Friday1 than women who were single jobholders (77% compared to 58%), and were also more likely to usually work some hours between 7pm and 7am (31% compared to 25% of women). Women who were single jobholders were more likely to only work on weekdays than men who were single jobholders (74% compared to 69%), and women were less likely to work on both weekdays and weekends (25% compared to 30% of men).


Men who were multiple jobholders were more likely to work Monday to Friday1 than women who were multiple jobholders (74% compared to 53%), and were also more likely to usually work some hours between 7pm and 7am (62% compared to 52% of women). Women who were multiple jobholders were more likely to work only on weekdays than men who were multiple jobholders (47% compared to 38%), and they were less likely to work on both weekdays and weekends (52% compared to 62% of men).

EMPLOYEES IN MAIN JOB WHO WERE SINGLE OR MULTIPLE JOBHOLDERS, Number of days of the week usually worked in all jobs
Graph: Employees in main job who were single or multiple job holders, Number of days of the week usually worked in all jobs



The majority of employees who were single jobholders usually worked 5 days of the week (67%). A further 8% usually worked 6 days of the week, while 3.8% usually worked 7 days of the week. In comparison, 37% of employees who were multiple jobholders usually worked 5 days of the week. A further 20% usually worked 7 days of the week while 18% usually worked 6 days of the week.



EMPLOYEES (excluding OMIEs)

There were 2.9 million employees2 who usually worked extra hours or overtime in November 2006. Of these, 43% usually worked paid extra hours only, 48% usually worked unpaid extra hours only, and the remainder usually worked both paid and unpaid extra hours.


In November 2006, there were 2.9 million employees2 whose hours varied weekly or were usually required to be on call or standby. Of these, 16% had less than one day's notice about their work schedule and 29% had four or more weeks' notice about their work schedule.


Whether able to choose to work extra hours in order to take time off

Of the 8 million employees2, just over 3 million were able to choose to work extra hours in order to take time off.


The industry with the highest proportion of employees2 who were able to choose to work extra hours in order to take time off was Public administration and safety (56%) followed by Professional, scientific and technical services (53%). The industry with the lowest proportion of employees2 who were able to choose to work extra hours in order to take time off was Education and training (23%).


Employees2 who worked in the public sector were more likely to be able to choose to work extra hours in order to take time off (41%) than those who worked in the private sector (38%).


Shift work

In November 2006, 1.4 million employees2 usually worked shift work.


For both men and women, the industry with the highest proportion of employees2 who usually worked shift work was Accommodation and Food Services (51% for men and 36% for women). The industries with the next highest proportions were Mining (46%) for men, and Health care and social assistance (34%) for women.


The industry with the lowest proportion of employees2 who usually worked shift work was Education and training (2.3% and 1.9% for men and women respectively).


A higher proportion of employees2 aged 15-19 (21%) and 20-24 (20%) usually worked shift work than those in older age groups.


Nineteen percent of employees2 who worked in the public sector, usually worked shift work, compared to 17% who worked in the private sector.


Occupation of main job

Employees (excluding OMIEs), Occupation of main job - By proportion of selected working arrangements
Graph: Employees (excluding OMIEs), Occupation of main job—By proportion of selected working arrangements



Employees2 who were Managers were most likely to be able to choose to work extra hours in order to take time off (52%). Employees2 who were Labourers were least likely to be able to choose to work extra hours in order to take time off (26%).


Employees2 who were Community and personal service workers were most likely to usually work shift work (42%) followed by Machinery operators and drivers (31%).


Full-time and part-time employees2 in main job

In November 2006 there were 5.8 million employees2 who were full-time employees2 in their main job and 2.2 million part-time employees2. Earnings did not vary from one pay period to the next for 82% of employees2 who worked full time in their main job compared to 63% of employees2 who worked part time. Employees2 who worked full time in their main job and did not usually work the same number of hours each week were more likely to be guaranteed a minimum number of hours of work each week (79%) than employees2 who worked part time (42%).


Women who were part-time employees2 in their main job, were more likely to be required to be on call or standby (23%) than those who were full-time employees2 (17%). The same percentage of men who were full-time employees2 in their main job and those who were part-time employees2 in their main job were usually required to be on call or standby (26%).


Other characteristics of full-time employees2 in their main job include:

  • 89% had paid leave entitlements
  • 41% had some say in their start and finish times. Of these, 69% were able to choose their start and finish times on a day-to-day basis and a further 23% negotiated their start and finish times in advance with their employer
  • 73% could choose when their holidays were taken.

Other characteristics of part-time employees2 in their main job include:
  • 46% had paid leave entitlements
  • 37% had some say in their start and finish times. Of these, 56% were able to choose their start and finish times on a day-to-day basis and a further 35% negotiated their start and finish times in advance with their employer
  • 68% could choose when their holidays were taken.


END NOTES

1. These people may also have worked on Saturday and/or Sunday in their job/s. See paragraph 17 of the Explanatory Notes for more information.


2. Excluding OMIEs.