Earnings and work hours

Payroll jobs increased by 1.3% between the weeks ending 16 and 30 January 2021. Largest changes: 

• Tasmania (up 2.2%)
• Administrative and support services (up 2.7%)

Total wages increased by 0.4%. Largest changes:

• the Australian Capital Territory (up 1.8%)
• Information media and telecommunications (up 4.7%)

During 2017-18 there were:

• 19.6 million job relationships, up 2.1% on 2016-17
• 13.8 million employed persons, up 1.9% on 2016-17

Estimates for average weekly ordinary time earnings for full-time adults (seasonally adjusted):

• Increased by 3.2% to $1,711.60 annually to November 2020.
• Males: $1,970.90 (public), and $1,770.30 (private).
• Females: $1,762.00 (public), and $1,475.50 (private).

During 2017-18:

• Total personal income was $903.9 billion
• Median personal income was $49,805, up 3.0% on 2016-17
• The largest income category was employee income, at 87.1% of total personal income

• 2.3 million casual employees (22% of employees, 18% of all employed), down from 2.6 million in Feb 2020.
• 20% of employees didn't have minimum guaranteed hours, up from 19% in Aug 2014.
• 1.0 million independent contractors (8.2% of employed).
• 3% of employees were registered with a labour hire firm/employment agency.

• Median employee earnings was $1,150 per week, up $50 (4.5%) since August 2019.
• Median hourly earnings was $36/hr, up $3.50/hr (10.8%) since August 2019.

• 14% of employees (1.4 million) were trade union members.
• Since 1992, the proportion of employees who were trade union members has fallen from 40% to 14%.
• The Education and Training industry (31%) and the Professionals occupation (21%) had the highest trade union membership.

• Median employee earnings have increased $50 (4.5%) to $1,150 per week since Aug 2019.
• 2.3 million casual employees (22% of employees), down from 2.6 million (24%) in Feb 2020.
• 1.0 million independent contractors (8.2% of employment).
• 14.3% of employees (1 million) were trade union members, down from 40% in 1992.

In the September quarter 2020:

• 21 disputes occurred.
• 4,300 employees were involved and 11,700 working days lost.
• disputes occurred in 4 industries and in 6 states.

During the year ended September 2020, there were 82 disputes and a total of 29,500 working days lost.

• Median weekly earnings were $1,110 for all employees, $1,463 for full-time employees and $577 for part-time employees.
• Individual arrangements was the most common method of setting pay (41.1%), followed by collective agreements (37.9%) and award only (21.0%).

• 563,600 people had a work-related injury or illness (4.2% of people who worked at some time during the year).
• The most common cause of injury or illness was 'Lifting, pushing, pulling or bending' (24.2%).
• 60% had time off as a result of the injury or illness.
• 27% received workers compensation for the injury or illness.