1

Issues

in Labor Statistics U.S. Department of Labor

Bureau of Labor Statistics

I

n 1995, about 6.5 million

workers had a part-time job (or

jobs) but were classified as fulltime workers because their total

workweek (at all jobs) was 35 hours

or more. Most of these workers, 4.4

million, worked full time at a

primary job and also held one or

more part-time jobs. Persons who

combined several part-time jobs to

make up a full-time workweek

accounted for about 15 percent of

the total and a similar share combined jobs with varying hours.1 (See

table and chart.)

Workers within all three groups

were more likely to be aged 25 to 54

than those classified under the

official estimate of part-time

employment (defined as persons

who usually work less than 35 hours

a week at all jobs). In 1995, nearly 8

in 10 of the workers who had a fulland a part-time job or whose hours

varied on all jobs were in this age

group, compared to 5 in 10 among

the official part-time workers. There

was a relatively high proportion of

teenagers and workers in their early

twenties in the group which combined several part-time jobs into a

full-time schedule.

Women accounted for about 65

percent of all workers who combine

several part-time jobs into a fulltime schedule, a share that was

comparable to the official estimate

of part-time employment (68

percent). In contrast, the proportion

of women with part-time jobs in the

other two work arrangements was

about 40 percent. Reflecting these

differences in age and gender,

workers who combined several parttime jobs into a full-time schedule

were more commonly single men

and married women. Married men,

however, made up a relatively large

proportion of those who worked at

both a full- and part-time job or on a

full-time schedule composed of jobs

with varying hours.

Between 1994 and 1995, the

number of full-time workers who

held part-time jobs increased by

about 380,000. The increase was

evenly distributed among the three

groups in this category and across

demographic characteristics. The

number of persons counted as part

time under the official definition

held at slightly more than 23 million

in 1994 and 1995.

Background notes

The data presented in this report

were obtained through the Current

Population Survey (CPS), a monthly

sample survey of about 50,000

households conducted by the Bureau

of the Census for the Bureau of

Labor Statistics.

Monthly estimates of the number

of part-time workers however, do

not include all persons with parttime jobs. In the CPS, persons who

have more than one job are counted

only once in the employment

estimates. Such workers are classified as either full or part time based

on their total usual weekly hours.

So, workers who have both a fulland a part-time job, for example, are

classified as full-time workers, as

are those whose combined hours in

two or more part-time jobs total at

least 35.

With the introduction of the

redesigned CPS in January 1994, it

became possible to identify full-time

workers who have part-time jobs

1

 The total estimate of persons with part-time

work on full-time schedules also included

36,000 workers who were part time on their primary job and full time on their secondary job.

In this analysis, it was assumed that persons who

reported their hours varied on both jobs, worked

part time on at least one of those jobs since few

people who hold more than one job work full

time at each job. A small portion of workers with

more than one job (about 7 percent) held more

than two jobs. For these workers, data are obtained on the hours worked at all secondary jobs

combined.

Percent distribution of workers on full-time schedules with part-time jobs,

1995 annual averages

Usually part time

on primary and

secondary job,

with full-time hours

(14 percent)

Hours vary on primary

and secondary jobs,

with full-time hours

(17 percent)

Usually full time

on primary job,

part time on

secondary job

(69 percent)

A Different Look at Part-time Employment

Summary 96-9

April 1996
2

Percent distribution of workers with part-time jobs by selected characteristics,

1995 annual averages

Usually full Usually part Hours vary on

time on time on primary primary and

primary job, and secondary secondary

part time on jobs, with jobs, with

secondary job full-time hours full-time hours

Total, 16 years and over (thousands) ...... 4,446 915 1,091 23,220

Percent ......................................... 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0

AGE AND SEX

16 to 19 years .................................. 1.8 8.3 2.1 18.9

20 to 24 years .................................. 9.6 17.5 7.0 14.3

25 to 54 years .................................. 81.4 65.5 81.1 48.6

55 years and over ............................ 7.2 8.9 9.9 18.1

Men, 16 years and over ....................... 59.9 35.1 63.2 32.0

16 to 19 years ............................... .9 3.4 1.1 8.9

20 to 24 years ............................... 5.2 7.1 4.1 6.0

25 to 54 years ............................... 49.3 21.0 51.3 9.7

55 years and over ......................... 4.6 3.7 6.6 7.4

Women, 16 years and over .................. 40.1 64.9 36.8 68.0

16 to 19 years ............................... .9 4.9 1.0 10.0

20 to 24 years ............................... 4.4 10.4 2.8 8.3

25 to 54 years ............................... 32.1 44.5 29.7 38.9

55 years and over ......................... 2.6 5.1 3.3 10.7

RACE AND HISPANIC ORIGIN

White ................................................... 86.2 90.3 90.8 87.4

Black .................................................... 10.4 7.1 6.5 8.8

Hispanic origin ..................................... 6.1 6.0 4.2 7.7

MARITAL STATUS

Men:

Single ............................................... 12.6 16.7 11.8 18.1

Married, spouse present .................. 41.5 14.5 45.4 11.2

Divorced, widowed, or separated ..... 5.9 3.8 6.0 2.8

Women:

Single ............................................... 10.9 21.2 8.8 20.3

Married, spouse present .................. 17.7 32.1 18.9 38.3

Divorced, widowed, or separated ..... 11.4 11.6 9.2 9.4

On full-time schedules1

Official Business

Penalty for Private use, $300

U.S. Department of Labor

Bureau of Labor Statistics

Washington, DC 20212

FIRST CLASS MAIL

Postage and Fees Paid

U.S. Department of Labor

Permit No. G-738

Official

estimate of

part-time

employment2

Characteristic

1 Refers to workers who usually work 35 hours

or more a week, defined as a full-time schedule,

and who have at least one part-time job.

and to compare their characteristics

to part-time workers as traditionally

defined by BLS.

In addition, it became possible to

obtain, on a monthly basis, information on respondents who hold more

than one job, including the number

of hours worked at each job. In

doing so, data on usual hours worked

by multiple jobholders can be

separated between hours worked at

the main job and the secondary

job(s). Prior to 1994, multiple

jobholding data were collected

through occasional supplements to the

CPS and respondents were asked only

for the hours worked on the second

job but not on any other non-primary

jobs.

For more information on multiple

jobholding and part-time employment, contact Jennifer Gardner,

Office of Employment and Unemployment Statistics, Bureau of Labor

Statistics, Washington, DC (202) 606-

6378. Information in this report will

be made available to sensory impaired individuals upon request.

Voice phone: (202) 606-7828; TDD

phone: (202) 606-5897; TDD

message referral phone:

1-800-326-2577.

This material is in the public

domain and, with appropriate credit,

may be reproduced without

permission.

2 Refers to workers who usually work a total of

less than 35 hours a week at one or more jobs.