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Topic: Part-Time Work

prowsej
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 798

posted 23 July 2004 02:20 PM

"The rising share of part-time jobs is the main reason why the hours worked per employee have fallen in OECD countries since 1990. The incidence of part-time work also helps to explain international variations in working hours. The Dutch, who have the highest share of part-time employees, have an average working week of 32 hours, whereas it is 41 hours in Greece, where part-time employment is less common."

I just ran the numbers to confirm that there is a correlation between unemployment and part-time work: countries with more part-time work have lower unemployment rates. Here's a scatterplot that I made using data for OECD countries.

[ 23 July 2004: Message edited by: prowsej ]

From: Ottawa ON | Registered: Jun 2001 | IP: Logged

dee
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 983

posted 23 July 2004 04:34 PM

prowsej, do you have any information about average wage differences between part time and full time work? In my experience it has appeared that most (advertised) part time work in Canada tends to be in lower paying work such as retail sales or call centre. While unemployment rates might be lower in areas with higher rates of part time employment the number of low income individuals might actually be higher.

From: pleasant, unemotional conversation aids digestion | Registered: Jul 2001 | IP: Logged

robbie_dee
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 195

posted 23 July 2004 04:36 PM

This isn't really "news," it probably belongs in Labour and Consumption instead.

From: Iron City | Registered: Apr 2001 | IP: Logged

Baldfresh
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 5864

posted 23 July 2004 05:22 PM

quote:
Originally posted by dee:
prowsej, do you have any information about average wage differences between part time and full time work? In my experience it has appeared that most (advertised) part time work in Canada tends to be in lower paying work such as retail sales or call centre. While unemployment rates might be lower in areas with higher rates of part time employment the number of low income individuals might actually be higher.

Pay is lower, no job security, no benefits, workers mildly abused by employers, jobs are largely unskilled, monotonous, sometimes dangerous (long term in unhealthy repetitive actions if not in day-to-day hazard. Health plan? Heheh. You crack me up. Now get back to work) Things are often worse for immigrants (illegal or not) and ex-cons, but many shifty employers have learnt lessons on how to cut corners at the expense of "everyday" employees as well. No, I have no stats off-hand, I've read this in so many places I think it's crossed over into public knowledge.

Welcome to the new millenium. Do you want fries with your substandard living allowance doted out by the multibilliondollar corporate behemoth? Employees get a 3% discount when working. Now get back to work.

From: to here knows when | Registered: May 2004 | IP: Logged

Amy
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 2210

posted 23 July 2004 05:47 PM

Something that I've learned since I started working in retail (2 months ago) is that for many workplaces, 25 hours or more is considered full time. Even managers in my workplace, of which there are 3, are having a hard time getting by, as they rarely get above 30 hours a week.

From: the whole town erupts and/ bursts into flame | Registered: Feb 2002 | IP: Logged

Stephen Gordon
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 4600

posted 23 July 2004 06:15 PM

It's not clear just how big a problem this is: not all part-time workers would prefer to work full-time. According to a study done in BC (it was the first one I came across in a google search, so I'm making no claims for how general the results are), only one in four women workering part time would prefer to work full time. And I'm sure that there are many women who work full time who would take a 20% cut in pay and work 4-day weeks if they could (Mme Cromwell is one).

From: . | Registered: Oct 2003 | IP: Logged

canadianpatriot
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 4556

posted 23 July 2004 06:43 PM

ah yes the value of an education

From: National Capital | Registered: Oct 2003 | IP: Logged

prowsej
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 798

posted 23 July 2004 07:06 PM

quote:
Originally posted by robbie_dee:
This isn't really "news," it probably belongs in Labour and Consumption instead.

It's news because the original graph that I got from The Economist was just published on Thursday, coming from newly released data.

quote:
prowsej, do you have any information about average wage differences between part time and full time work?

No, I don't. But that'd be interesting to see. I'll spend the next 10 minutes of my life looking for such data. If I find it, I'll post a link here.

From: Ottawa ON | Registered: Jun 2001 | IP: Logged

prowsej
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 798

posted 23 July 2004 07:28 PM

Well, I wasn't able to find good data. So I just Googled and found two studies (which I don't suggest are representative of all literature).

One said that part time workers are paid 12% less than full time. The other said that there was no noticeable wage gap.

Note: both links are to PDF files.

From: Ottawa ON | Registered: Jun 2001 | IP: Logged

robbie_dee
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 195

posted 23 July 2004 08:33 PM

quote:
It's news because the original graph that I got from The Economist was just published on Thursday, coming from newly released data.

OK, I get it now.

What I wonder about is the conjunction of overwork and underwork in our society. I hear about some people unable to get full-time work, while others I know facing 50 hour weeks and up!

From: Iron City | Registered: Apr 2001 | IP: Logged

Michelle
Moderator
Babbler # 560

posted 23 July 2004 08:54 PM

Moving this to Labour and Consumption, upon robbie_dee's request...

From: I've got a fever, and the only prescription is more cowbell. | Registered: May 2001 | IP: Logged

Stephen Gordon
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 4600

posted 23 July 2004 10:39 PM

Part of this is the fact that in many cases, employers pay costs that have nothing to do with the number of hours worked - insurance benefits being an obvious example. In such a case, an employer may find it cheaper to pay overtime instead of hiring another worker.

Similarly, it's probably not surprising that part-time jobs are low-paying, with little or no benefits. If the employer were paying benefits, the average hourly cost of a part-time worker would be much higher than for a full-time employee. If an employer doesn't pay any benefits, the hourly costs are the same for full- and part-time workers, so he can be flexible.

[ 23 July 2004: Message edited by: Oliver Cromwell ]

From: . | Registered: Oct 2003 | IP: Logged

Bacchus
rabble-rouser
Babbler # 4722

posted 23 July 2004 10:46 PM

Im happy to say my company provides complete and very very comprehensive benefits for even part timers.

From: n/a | Registered: Dec 2003 | IP: Logged

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