Earnings and working conditions

• 7 million people (7,095,103) were working full-time and 4 million people (3,962,550) were working part-time in the week before the Census.
• The median hours worked in Australia was 38 hours per week.
• Health Care and Social Assistance was the largest employing industry in Australia (14.5 per cent of the workforce), followed by Retail Trade (9.1 per cent) and Construction (8.9 per cent).
• The top three reported occupations were Sales Assistants (General) (514,084), Registered Nurses (262,742) and General Clerks (244,849).
• The national median personal income was $805 per week. This was a $143 increase since 2016. This included the adult population from 15 years to over 85 years, including those who are unemployed or retired.
• There were over 9.6 million people earning below the national median personal income or earning no income.

In the December quarter 2022:

• 69 disputes occurred.
• 22,200 employees were involved and 21,300 working days lost.
• disputes occurred in 8 industries and in 8 states and territories.

During the year ended December 2022, there were 189 disputes and a total of 197,000 working days lost.

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

• Increased by 3.4% to $1,807.70 annually to November 2022.
• For males were $2,091.20 (public), and $1,874.40 (private).
• For females were $1,857.50 (public), and $1,573.00 (private).

• 497,300 people had a work-related injury or illness (3.5% 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%).
• 66% had time off as a result of the injury or illness.
• 31% received workers compensation for the injury or illness.

During 2019-20:

• Total personal income was $983.0 billion
• Median personal income was $52,338, up 1.8% on 2018-19
• Employee income was the largest income category at 88% of total personal income

• In June 2022, 319,900 people had a job in Labour supply services, and for 266,200 (83%) it was their main job.
• 2.3% of all employed people had a job in Labour supply services in June 2022.

• 81% of labour hire workers worked full-time (August 2022).
• 84% of labour hire workers did not have paid leave entitlements, and 18% would prefer to work more hours (August 2022).
• In 2019-20, 61% of people in Labour supply services were men, and 27% were Labourers.

• 12.5% of employees (1.4 million) were trade union members.
• Since 1992, the proportion of employees who were trade union members has fallen from 41% to 12.5%.
• The Education and training industry (30%) and the Professionals occupation group (19%) had the highest rates of trade union membership.

• Median employee earnings was $1,250 per week, up $50 (4.2%) since August 2021.
• Median hourly earnings was $37 per hour, up $1 since August 2021. 

In August 2022:

• Median employee earnings was $1,250 per week, an increase of $50 since August 2021 (4.2%).
• 12.5% of employees were trade union members (1.4 million).
• 2.7 million casual employees (23% of employees, 20% of all employed), up from 2.4 million in August 2021.
• 1.1 million independent contractors (8% of all employed).

• 2.7 million casual employees (23% of employees, 20% of all employed), up from 2.4 million in August 2021.
• 21% of employees didn't have minimum guaranteed hours, up from 20% in August 2016.
• 1.1 million independent contractors (8.3% of employed).
• 3.4% of employees were employed on a fixed-term contract.

• Median weekly earnings were $1,209.00 for all employees, $1,390.00 for males and $1,042.00 for females.
• Occupations with the highest hourly earnings were Managers ($65.10) and Professionals ($57.90).
• Individual arrangement was the most common method of setting pay (37.8%), followed by collective agreement (35.1%).