UNDERLYING CONCEPTS

NOMINAL DEFINITION

The standard term for the variable is 'Full-time/part-time status'.

Full-time/part-time status is primarily an attribute of the measurement unit 'Person'. It is also relevant to the statistical unit 'Job'.

Full-time/part-time status is a classification of the relevant population according to whether they work on a full-time or part-time basis.

OPERATIONAL DEFINITION

In household surveys (such as the LFS) where the Labour Force Survey Questionnaire Module is in use (see Labour Force Status standard for information), that is, where both actual and usual hours worked are collected, full-time employed people are those who:

• usually work 35 hours or more per week (in all jobs); or
• although usually working less than 35 hours a week, actually worked 35 hours or more during the reference week.

Part-time employed people are those who:

• usually work less than 35 hours per week and either did so during the reference week, or were not at work in the reference week.

In other household surveys, e.g. where the Household Survey Questionnaire Module is in use (see Labour Force Status standard for information) and only usual hours of work is collected, Full-time/part-time status is based on the total number of hours usually worked per week in all jobs. Full-time employed people are those who usually work 35 hours or more per week (in all jobs), while part-time employed people are those who usually work less than 35 hours per week (in all jobs).

Where only actual hours worked are collected (e.g. when the Census of Population and Housing Questionnaire Module is used), Full-time/part-time status is based on the actual hours worked in the reference week. Full-time employed people are those who worked 35 hours or more in the reference week (in all jobs), while part-time employed people are those who worked less than 35 hours in the reference week (in all jobs). Where actual hours worked is used, there is also a third category for people who are employed, but not at work in the reference week.

Where hours worked is not collected, e.g. where the Single Question is in use (see Labour Force Status standard for information), Full-time/part-time status is based on the respondent's perception of whether they work full-time or part-time, however this method is not considered a standard. Guidance can be given to refer to a 35 hour per week threshold to be full-time.

In business surveys, Full-time/part-time status is collected for employee jobs. Full-time employee jobs are defined as those where the occupant normally works the agreed or award hours for a full-time employee in their occupation. If agreed or award hours do not apply, the job is regarded as full-time if the occupant usually works 35 hours or more per week. Part-time employee jobs are those where the occupant normally work less than the agreed or award hours for a full-time employee in their occupation. If agreed or award hours do not apply, the job is regarded as part-time if the occupant usually works less than 35 hours per week.

DISCUSSION OF ISSUES

In comparison with the estimates of Full-time/part-time status from the Labour Force Survey Questionnaire Module, the Household Survey Questionnaire Module results in lower estimates of persons employed full-time, and higher estimates of persons employed part-time. This is because the Household Survey Questionnaire Module does not include a question on actual hours worked in the reference week, so it's not possible to include persons who usually work part-time, but who worked full-time hours in the reference week, in the estimate of persons employed full-time.

Usual hours worked is used in the Household Survey Questionnaire Module because it can be meaningfully asked of all employed persons, whether or not they are at work during the reference week. Asking only one question for hours worked minimises the size of the question set and avoids complex sequencing.