Internet address:  http://stats.bls.gov/newsrels.htm
Technical information:  (202) 606-6378   USDL 98-119

                                         For release:  10:00 A.M. EST
Media contact:                606-5902   Thursday, March 26, 1998


              WORKERS ON FLEXIBLE AND SHIFT SCHEDULES IN 1997


     In May 1997, about 25.0 million full-time wage and salary workers had
flexible work schedules that allowed them to vary the time they began or
ended work, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor
reported today.  The proportion of workers with such schedules was 27.6
percent, up sharply from the 15.1 percent recorded when the data were last
collected in May 1991.  The increase in flexible work schedules was
widespread across demographic groups, occupations, and industries.

     These findings were obtained from a supplement to the May 1997 Current
Population Survey (CPS), a monthly survey of about 50,000 households that
provides the basic data on national employment and unemployment.  The
information presented in this release pertain to wage and salary workers
who were at work during the May 1997 reference week and who usually worked
35 or more hours per week.  The survey also collected information about the
prevalence of shift work.  For further information about the survey, see
the Technical Note.  Some of the highlights from the 1997 survey are:
     
 --Men were somewhat more likely to be working flexible schedules than
   women (28.7 and 26.2 percent, respectively).
 --Private-sector employees were more likely to have flexible work hours
   than those in the public sector (28.8 versus 21.7 percent).
 --About 15.2 million persons normally worked a shift other than a regular
   daytime schedule.

Flexible schedules

     Among whites, 29.6 percent of the men and 27.3 percent of the women
had flexible schedules.  In contrast, among blacks and Hispanics, the
proportions were lower and there was little difference by sex.  Overall,
the proportions working flexible schedules among all groups has increased
considerably since 1991.  (See tables A and 1.)

     Parents were more likely than workers with no children under 18 to
work a flexible schedule, 28.9 and 26.8 percent, respectively.  (See
table 1.)
     
     About 42.4 percent of executives, administrators, and managers and
41.0 percent of sales workers were able to vary their work hours.  In
contrast, less than one-quarter of those employed in administrative support
roles or as service workers had such flexibility.  Operators, fabricators,
and laborers, and precision production, craft, and repair workers were the
least likely to have flexible work schedules.  (See table 2.)

     Among private-sector employees, the proportion of workers with
flexible schedules was much higher in service-producing industries (31.7
percent) than in goods-producing industries (23.3 percent).  In the public
sector, flexible schedules were more common among federal government
employees (34.5 percent) than workers in state (29.4 percent) or local
government (13.1 percent), which includes public elementary and secondary
schools.  (See table 2.)

                                  - 2 -

 Table A.  Flexible schedules and shift work of full-time wage
 and salary workers by sex, race, and Hispanic origin, May,
 selected years, 1985-97
 ---------------------------------------------------------------                   
                  |Percent with flexible|     Percent with
                  |       schedules     |   alternate shifts    
  Characteristics |---------------------|-----------------------
                  | May   |May   |May   | May   | May  |  May
                  | 1985  |1991  |1997  | 1985  | 1991 |  1997
 ---------------------------------------------------------------
        Sex       |       |      |      |       |      |   
                  |       |      |      |       |      |   
 Total, 16 years  |  12.4 | 15.1 | 27.6 |  15.9 | 17.8 | 16.8
  and over        |       |      |      |       |      |
   Men            |  13.1 | 15.5 | 28.7 |  17.8 | 20.1 | 19.1
   Women          |  11.3 | 14.5 | 26.2 |  13.0 | 14.6 | 13.7
                  |       |      |      |       |      |   
 Race and Hispanic|       |      |      |       |      |   
      origin      |       |      |      |       |      |
                  |       |      |      |       |      |   
   White          |  12.8 | 15.5 | 28.7 |  15.3 | 17.1 | 16.1
   Black          |   9.1 | 12.1 | 20.1 |  19.9 | 23.3 | 20.9
   Hispanic origin|   8.9 | 10.6 | 18.4 |  15.5 | 19.1 | 16.0
 ----------------------------------------------------------------
    NOTE: Data for May 1997 are not strictly comparable with data
 for earlier years because the 1997 data incorporate 1990
 census-based population controls and the effects of a major
 redesign of the Current Population Survey introduced in
 January 1994.  Data exclude the incorporated and unincorporated
 self-employed.


Shift work
     
     Among full-time wage and salary workers, 82.9 percent were on regular
daytime schedules; alternate schedules worked included evening shifts (4.6
percent), employer-arranged irregular schedules (3.9 percent), night shifts
(3.5 percent), and rotating shifts (2.9 percent).  Men were more likely
than women to work an alternate shift (19.1 and 13.7 percent, respectively).
Blacks were more likely than either whites or Hispanics to work such shifts.
Since May 1991, the proportion of full-time wage and salary workers on
alternate schedules edged down.  (See tables A and 3.)

     The prevalence of shift work was greatest among workers in service-
oriented occupations, such as protective service (55.1 percent)--which
includes police, firefighters, and guards--and food service (42.0 percent),
and among those employed as operators, fabricators, and laborers (27.0
percent).  It was lowest for managers and professionals (9.4 percent) and
those in administrative support occupations (8.8 percent).  (See table 4.)
     
     In private-sector industries, the percent of workers on alternative
shifts was highest in eating and drinking places (47.2 percent) and lowest
in construction (3.7 percent).  Although shift work was generally less
common in the public sector, nearly half the local government workers
employed in "justice, public order, and safety"--the category that includes
police and fire departments--were shift workers.  (See table 4.)

Beginning and ending hours
     
     The May 1997 supplement also provided data on the specific times
persons worked during the survey reference week.  About 67.0 percent of all
full-time wage and salary workers began work at times between 6:30 A.M. and
9:29 A.M., with the greatest concentration around 8 A.M.  Three-fifths
usually left between 3:30 P.M. and 6:29 P.M., with times around 5 P.M. by
far the most frequently reported.  (See table 5.)
Technical Note


     These data and other information on work schedules were obtained from
a supplement to the May 1997 Current Population Survey (CPS), the monthly
survey of about 50,000 households that provides information on employment
and unemployment for the nation.  Respondents to the May 1997 supplement
answered questions about flexible and shift schedules, the reasons for
working particular shifts, the beginning and ending hours of work, and home-
based work.  The data in this release pertain to wage and salary workers
who were at work during the May 1997 reference week and who usually worked
35 hours or more per week on their principal job.

     Information in this release will be made available to sensory
impaired individuals upon request.  Voice phone: 202-606-STAT; TDD phone:
202-606-5897; TDD message referral phone number: 1-800-326-2577

Reliability

     Statistics based on the CPS are subject to both sampling and
nonsampling error.  When a sample, rather than the entire population, is
surveyed, there is a chance that the sample estimates may differ from the
"true" population values they represent.  The exact difference, or sampling
error, varies depending on the particular sample selected and this
variability is measured by the standard error of the estimate.  There is
about a 90-percent chance, or level of confidence, that an estimate based
on a sample will differ by no more than 1.6 standard errors from the "true"
population value because of sampling error.  BLS analyses are generally
conducted at the 90-percent level of confidence.
     
     The CPS data also are affected by nonsampling error.  Nonsampling
error can occur for many reasons, including the failure to sample a segment
of the population, inability to obtain information for all respondents in
the sample, inability or unwillingness of respondents to provide correct
information, and errors made in the collection or processing of the data.
     
     For a full discussion of the reliability of data from the CPS and
information on estimating standard errors, see the "Explanatory Notes and
Estimates of Error" section of the February 1994 and subsequent issues of
Employment and Earnings.

Concepts

     Data on flexible schedules, shift work, and beginning and ending hours
of work were obtained from the following questions:

     Flexible schedules.  Do you have flexible work hours that allow you to
vary or make changes in the time you begin and end work?
1.   Yes
2.   No
3.   Don't know

     Shift work.  On your (main) job, do you USUALLY work a regular daytime
schedule or some other schedule?
1.   A regular daytime schedule (Anytime between 6 A.M. to 6 P.M.)
2.   Some other schedule
3.   Don't know

     (If the respondent answers "some other schedule" to the above question,
then the following question is asked to determine the shift worked)

     Which of the following best describes the hours you USUALLY work at this
(main) job?
1.   A regular evening shift (Anytime between 2 P.M. to midnight)
2.   A regular night shift (Anytime around 9 P.M. to 8 A.M.)
3.   A rotating shift - one that changes periodically from days to evenings
      or night
4.   Split shift - one consisting of two distinct periods each day
5.   An irregular schedule arranged by employer
6.   Other
7.   Don't know

     Beginning and ending hours of work.  Last week at what time of day did
you begin work on your (main) job most days?
1.   __hour __minutes    A.M./P.M.
2.   It varies
3.   Don't know

     Last week at what time of day did you end work on your (main) job most
days?
1.   __hour __minutes    A.M./P.M.
2.   It varies
3.   Don't know
     Table 1.  Flexible schedules: Full-time wage and salary workers by selected characteristics, May 1997
     
     (Numbers in thousands)
                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                              
                                                      Both sexes                                               Women          
                                                                                     Men                                      
                                                                                                                              
                                                                                                                              
                  Characteristic                         With flexible              With flexible              With flexible  
                                                           schedules                  schedules                  schedules    
                                              Total(1)                   Total(1)                   Total(1)                  
                                                                                                                              
                                                        Number   Percent           Number   Percent           Number   Percent
                                                                of total                   of total                   of total
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                            
                       Age                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                              
         Total 16 years and over.............  90,549   25,031     27.6   52,073   14,952     28.7   38,476   10,079     26.2 
     16 to 19 years..........................   1,640      339     20.7    1,050      177     16.9      590      161     27.4 
     20 years and over.......................  88,909   24,692     27.8   51,023   14,774     29.0   37,886    9,918     26.2 
       20 to 24 years........................   8,462    1,923     22.7    4,968    1,111     22.4    3,494      812     23.2 
       25 to 34 years........................  25,208    7,161     28.4   14,721    4,231     28.7   10,486    2,931     27.9 
       35 to 44 years........................  26,755    7,781     29.1   15,434    4,730     30.6   11,321    3,051     26.9 
       45 to 54 years........................  19,596    5,355     27.3   10,806    3,118     28.9    8,790    2,237     25.4 
       55 to 64 years........................   7,778    2,129     27.4    4,431    1,334     30.1    3,347      796     23.8 
       65 years and over.....................   1,110      344     31.0      662      251     38.0      448       93     20.7 
     16 to 24 years..........................  10,102    2,262     22.4    6,018    1,288     21.4    4,084      973     23.8 
     25 to 54 years..........................  71,559   20,296     28.4   40,961   12,078     29.5   30,598    8,218     26.9 
     55 years and over.......................   8,888    2,473     27.8    5,094    1,585     31.1    3,794      888     23.4 
                                                                                                                              
             Race and Hispanic origin                                                                                         
                                                                                                                              
     White...................................  75,683   21,698     28.7   44,495   13,186     29.6   31,188    8,512     27.3 
     Black...................................  10,884    2,191     20.1    5,323    1,068     20.1    5,561    1,123     20.2 
     Hispanic origin.........................   9,635    1,769     18.4    6,283    1,147     18.3    3,352      622     18.5 
                                                                                                                              
                  Marital status                                                                                              
                                                                                                                              
     Never married...........................  21,721    5,523     25.4   12,746    3,180     24.9    8,975    2,343     26.1 
     Married, spouse present.................  53,369   15,358     28.8   32,756   10,077     30.8   20,613    5,281     25.6 
     Other marital status....................  15,459    4,150     26.8    6,571    1,695     25.8    8,888    2,456     27.6 
                                                                                                                              
           Presence and age of children                                                                                       
                                                                                                                              
     Without own children under 18...........  55,251   14,824     26.8   31,266    8,596     27.5   23,985    6,228     26.0 
     With own children under 18..............  35,298   10,208     28.9   20,807    6,356     30.5   14,491    3,851     26.6 
       With own children 6 to 17.............  19,852    5,542     27.9   10,820    3,211     29.7    9,032    2,331     25.8 
       With own children under 6.............  15,446    4,666     30.2    9,986    3,146     31.5    5,459    1,520     27.8 

       1 Includes persons who did not provide information on flexible schedules
         NOTE: Data relate to the sole or principal job of full-time wage and salary workers who were at work during the
     survey reference week and exclude all self-employed persons, regardless of whether or not their businesses were
     incorporated.  Detail for the above race and Hispanic-origin groups will not sum to totals because data for the "other
     races" group are not presented and Hispanics are included in both the white and black poulation groups.  Own children
     include sons, daughters, step-children, and adopted children.  Not included are nieces, nephews, grandchildren, and other
     related and  unrelated children.  Data reflect revised population controls used in the Current Population Survey
     effective with the January 1997 estimates.



     Table 2.  Flexible schedules: Full-time wage and salary workers by occupation and industry, May 1997
     
     (Numbers in thousands)
                                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                   
                                                           Both sexes                                               Women          
                                                                                          Men                                      
                                                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                   
                Occupation and industry                       With flexible              With flexible              With flexible  
                                                                schedules                  schedules                  schedules    
                                                   Total(1)                   Total(1)                   Total(1)                  
                                                                                                                                   
                                                             Number   Percent           Number   Percent           Number   Percent
                                                                     of total                   of total                   of total
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                      
                      Occupation                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                   
     Managerial and professional specialty........  27,384   10,651     38.9   13,882    6,407     46.2   13,502    4,245     31.4 
       Executive, administrative, and managerial..  13,469    5,705     42.4    7,213    3,251     45.1    6,255    2,454     39.2 
       Professional specialty.....................  13,915    4,947     35.5    6,668    3,156     47.3    7,247    1,791     24.7 
         Mathematical and computer scientists.....   1,308      772     59.0      887      549     61.9      421      223     53.0 
         Natural scientists.......................     507      327     64.5      353      240     68.0      154       87     56.2 
         Teachers, college and university.........     494      320     64.7      330      224     68.0      164       95     58.2 
                                                                                                                                   
     Technical, sales, and administrative support.  25,779    7,828     30.4    9,992    3,613     36.2   15,787    4,215     26.7 
       Technicians and related support............   3,376    1,040     30.8    1,724      611     35.4    1,651      429     26.0 
       Sales occupations..........................   9,001    3,687     41.0    5,106    2,315     45.3    3,895    1,372     35.2 
         Sales workers, retail and personal                                                                                        
        services..................................   3,165      951     30.0    1,428      464     32.5    1,737      487     28.0 
       Administrative support, including clerical.  13,402    3,101     23.1    3,162      687     21.7   10,240    2,414     23.6 
                                                                                                                                   
     Service occupations..........................  11,055    2,373     21.5    6,306    1,256     19.9    4,749    1,116     23.5 
       Private household..........................     308      125     40.5       21       16     (2)       287      109     37.8 
       Protective service.........................   1,891      314     16.6    1,619      254     15.7      272       60     22.2 
       Service, except private household and                                                                                       
        protective................................   8,855    1,934     21.8    4,665      986     21.1    4,190      947     22.6 
         Food service.............................   2,777      630     22.7    1,441      263     18.3    1,336      366     27.4 
         Health service...........................   1,466      258     17.6      205       26     12.9    1,261      232     18.4 
         Cleaning and building service............   2,000      326     16.3    1,252      208     16.6      749      117     15.7 
         Personal service.........................     871      254     29.1      216       63     29.0      655      191     29.2 
                                                                                                                                   
     Precision production, craft, and repair......  11,519    2,023     17.6   10,506    1,861     17.7    1,013      162     16.0 
       Mechanics and repairers....................   3,863      708     18.3    3,672      658     17.9      192       50     26.3 
       Construction trades........................   4,069      718     17.7    3,996      707     17.7       74       12     (2)  
       Other precision production, craft, and                                                                                      
        repair....................................   3,587      596     16.6    2,839      497     17.5      748       99     13.3 
                                                                                                                                   
     Operators, fabricators, and laborers.........  14,812    2,156     14.6   11,388    1,815     15.9    3,424      342     10.0 
       Machine operators, assemblers, and                                                                                          
        inspectors................................   6,813      702     10.3    4,359      521     12.0    2,454      181      7.4 
       Transportation and material moving.........   4,351      961     22.1    4,064      914     22.5      287       47     16.3 
       Handlers, equipment cleaners, helpers, and                                                                                  
        laborers..................................   3,648      494     13.5    2,965      379     12.8      683      114     16.7 
                                                                                                                                   
                       Industry                                                                                                    
                                                                                                                                   
     Private sector...............................  75,612   21,795     28.8   45,023   13,284     29.5   30,589    8,511     27.8 
       Goods-producing industries.................  25,925    6,033     23.3   19,458    4,640     23.8    6,466    1,393     21.5 
         Agriculture..............................   1,492      448     30.0    1,265      373     29.5      227       74     32.8 
         Mining...................................     541      122     22.6      473      106     22.4       68       16     (2)  
         Construction.............................   5,389    1,218     22.6    4,974    1,086     21.8      415      132     31.8 
         Manufacturing............................  18,503    4,245     22.9   12,747    3,074     24.1    5,756    1,170     20.3 
           Durable goods..........................  11,179    2,572     23.0    8,148    1,944     23.9    3,031      629     20.7 
           Nondurable goods.......................   7,324    1,673     22.8    4,599    1,131     24.6    2,725      542     19.9 
                                                                                                                                   
       Service producing industries...............  49,687   15,763     31.7   25,565    8,644     33.8   24,122    7,118     29.5 
         Transportation and public utilities......   6,088    1,669     27.4    4,518    1,215     26.9    1,570      454     28.9 
         Wholesale trade..........................   3,969    1,281     32.3    2,854      979     34.3    1,115      302     27.1 
         Retail trade.............................  12,111    3,745     30.9    6,812    1,988     29.2    5,299    1,757     33.2 
           Eating and drinking places.............   3,135      987     31.5    1,758      497     28.2    1,377      490     35.6 
         Finance, insurance, and real estate......   5,857    2,096     35.8    2,288    1,028     44.9    3,569    1,068     29.9 
         Services.................................  21,662    6,971     32.2    9,094    3,434     37.8   12,568    3,537     28.1 
           Private households.....................     391      148     37.7       42       27     (2)       350      120     34.4 
           Business, automobile, and repair.......   5,060    1,607     31.8    3,319    1,118     33.7    1,740      489     28.1 
           Personal, except private household.....   1,627      522     32.1      749      227     30.3      878      295     33.7 
           Entertainment and recreation...........   1,051      397     37.8      619      231     37.3      432      167     38.5 
           Professional services..................  13,497    4,286     31.8    4,336    1,820     42.0    9,161    2,465     26.9 
           Forestry and fisheries.................      36       11     (2)        29       11     (2)         7      -        -   
     Government...................................  14,937    3,236     21.7    7,050    1,668     23.7    7,887    1,568     19.9 
       Federal....................................   2,828      977     34.5    1,621      535     33.0    1,208      442     36.6 
       State......................................   4,125    1,214     29.4    1,856      606     32.7    2,270      608     26.8 
       Local......................................   7,983    1,046     13.1    3,573      527     14.8    4,410      519     11.8 

       1 Includes persons who did not provide information on flexible schedules
       2 Percent not shown where base is less than 75,000.
         NOTE: Data relate to the sole or principal job of full-time wage and salary workers who were at work during the survey
     reference week and exclude all self-employed persons, regardless of whether or not their businesses were incorporated.  Data
     reflect revised population controls used in the Current Population Survey effective with the January 1997 estimates.  Dash
     represents or rounds to zero.



     Table 3.  Shift usually worked: Full-time wage and salary workers by selected characteristics, May 1997
     
     (Percent distribution)
                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                             
                                                                                       Shift workers                         
                                            Total                                                                            
                                         workers(1)  Regular                                                                 
               Characteristic            (thousand   daytime                                               Employer-         
                                             s)     schedule   Total   Evening   Night  Rotating   Split   arranged    Other 
                                                                        shift    shift    shift    shift   irregular   shift 
                                                                                                           schedule          
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                          
                 Age and sex                                                                                                 
                                                                                                                             
       Total 16 years and over..........   90,549      82.9     16.8      4.6      3.5      2.9      0.4       3.9       1.4 
     16 to 19 years.....................    1,640      66.4     32.9     12.5      5.0      4.0       .9       8.8       1.6 
     20 years and over..................   88,909      83.2     16.5      4.5      3.5      2.9       .4       3.8       1.4 
       20 to 24 years...................    8,462      75.7     23.7      7.6      5.3      3.3       .3       6.3        .9 
       25 to 34 years...................   25,208      82.8     16.7      4.7      3.5      3.2       .4       3.6       1.3 
       35 to 44 years...................   26,755      84.0     15.8      3.9      3.4      2.9       .4       3.7       1.4 
       45 to 54 years...................   19,596      85.2     14.6      3.9      3.1      2.6       .3       3.3       1.4 
       55 to 64 years...................    7,778      84.8     15.0      3.8      2.7      2.5       .6       3.3       2.1 
       65 years and over................    1,110      83.8     16.2      3.8      2.1      2.0       .3       4.7       3.3 
     16 to 24 years.....................   10,102      74.2     25.2      8.4      5.3      3.4       .4       6.7       1.0 
     25 to 54 years.....................   71,559      83.9     15.8      4.2      3.3      2.9       .4       3.6       1.4 
     55 years and over..................    8,888      84.7     15.1      3.8      2.6      2.4       .6       3.5       2.2 
                                                                                                                             
     Men................................   52,073      80.5     19.1      5.0      4.0      3.5       .4       4.4       1.7 
     Women..............................   38,476      86.1     13.7      4.1      2.8      2.2       .3       3.1       1.0 
                                                                                                                             
          Race and Hispanic origin                                                                                           
                                                                                                                             
     White..............................   75,683      83.6     16.1      4.3      3.2      2.9       .4       3.9       1.4 
     Black..............................   10,884      78.5     20.9      6.5      5.5      3.2       .4       4.0       1.4 
     Hispanic origin....................    9,635      83.6     16.0      5.4      3.2      2.1       .3       3.8       1.2 
                                                                                                                             
     Marital status and presence and age                                                                                     
                of children                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                             
     Men:                                                                                                                    
       Never married....................   12,746      77.1     21.9      7.0      4.4      3.2       .4       5.9       1.1 
       Married, spouse present..........   32,756      82.5     17.3      3.9      3.6      3.6       .4       3.9       1.9 
       Other marital status.............    6,571      77.3     22.1      6.6      5.1      3.6       .5       4.2       2.0 
                                                                                                                             
       Without own children under 18....   31,266      79.8     19.6      5.5      4.0      3.3       .4       4.6       1.6 
       With own children under 18.......   20,807      81.6     18.3      4.2      4.0      3.7       .5       4.1       1.8 
         With own children 6 to 17......   10,820      82.8     17.1      3.5      3.7      3.9       .3       3.8       1.8 
         With own children under 6......    9,986      80.3     19.7      5.0      4.3      3.5       .6       4.5       1.8 
                                                                                                                             
     Women:                                                                                                                  
       Never married....................    8,975      79.8     19.8      6.2      4.0      3.2       .2       4.6       1.3 
       Married, spouse present..........   20,613      89.2     10.7      3.1      2.3      1.8       .3       2.3        .9 
       Other marital status.............    8,888      85.4     14.5      4.5      2.9      2.0       .3       3.6       1.1 
                                                                                                                             
       Without own children under 18....   23,985      85.0     14.7      4.6      2.6      2.4      0.3       3.6       1.2 
       With own children under 18.......   14,491      87.9     12.0      3.4      3.2      1.8       .4       2.4        .8 
         With own children 6 to 17......    9,032      88.4     11.4      2.7      3.4      1.9       .4       2.3        .7 
         With own children under 6......    5,459      87.1     12.9      4.5      2.8      1.6       .3       2.6       1.0 

       1 Includes persons who did not provide information on shift usually worked.
         NOTE: Data relate to the sole or principal job of full-time wage and salary workers who were at work during the
     survey reference week and exclude all self-employed persons, regardless of whether or not their businesses were
     incorporated.  Detail for the above race and Hispanic-origin groups will not sum to totals because data for the "other
     races" group are not presented and Hispanics are included in both the white and black poulation groups.  Own children
     include sons, daughters, step-children, and adopted children.  Not included are nieces, nephews, grandchildren, and
     other related and  unrelated children.  Data reflect revised population controls used in the Current Population Survey
     effective with the January 1997 estimates.



     Table 4.  Shift usually worked: Full-time wage and salary workers by occupation and industry, May 1997
     
     (Percent distribution)
                                                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                  
                                                                                               Shift workers                      
                                                      Total                                                                       
                                                   workers(1)  Regular                                                            
                Occupation and industry            (thousand-  daytime                          Rotati-          Employer-        
                                                       s)      schedule  Total  Evening  Night     ng    Split   arranged   Other 
                                                                                 shift   shift   shift   shift   irregular  shift 
                                                                                                                 schedule         
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    
                      Occupation                                                                                                  
                                                                                                                                  
     Managerial and professional specialty........   27,384      90.4      9.4     1.7     1.3     1.7     0.3       2.9      1.6 
       Executive, administrative, and managerial..   13,469      91.7      8.1     1.4      .7     1.7      .2       2.7      1.3 
       Professional specialty.....................   13,915      89.1     10.7     2.0     1.7     1.6      .4       3.0      1.9 
         Mathematical and computer scientists.....    1,308      94.9      4.6      .2      .3      .6     -         1.8      1.6 
         Natural scientists.......................      507      94.0      6.0      .9     1.0     -       -         1.5      2.5 
         Teachers, college and university.........      494      86.1     13.9      .6      .5     1.0     2.9       4.0      4.9 
                                                                                                                                  
     Technical, sales, and administrative support.   25,779      86.2     13.5     3.5     2.1     2.6      .3       3.8      1.1 
       Technicians and related support............    3,376      80.4     19.2     5.6     3.8     3.7      .2       4.2      1.5 
       Sales occupations..........................    9,001      81.4     18.4     3.6     1.1     4.4      .3       7.0      1.9 
         Sales workers, retail and personal                                                                                       
        services..................................    3,165      70.9     28.5     6.7     1.7     7.3      .6      10.6      1.5 
       Administrative support, including clerical.   13,402      91.0      8.8     3.0     2.3     1.0      .2       1.6       .6 
                                                                                                                                  
     Service occupations..........................   11,055      67.1     32.4    10.8     6.5     5.4     1.0       6.3      2.2 
       Private household..........................      308      83.2     16.8     1.4      .8      .7     1.5       8.2      4.3 
       Protective service.........................    1,891      44.4     55.1    11.3    13.2    16.3      .9       7.9      5.6 
       Service, except private household and                                                                                      
        protective................................    8,855      71.4     28.0    11.0     5.3     3.3     1.0       5.9      1.4 
         Food service.............................    2,777      57.3     42.0    17.1     5.0     6.2     1.8      10.4      1.3 
         Health service...........................    1,466      69.5     30.1    10.8     9.4     3.3      .6       4.6      1.1 
         Cleaning and building service............    2,000      72.2     27.1    14.9     7.3     1.2      .6       2.2       .7 
         Personal service.........................      871      73.2     26.4     5.1     5.0     4.7      .8       6.3      4.5 
                                                                                                                                  
     Precision production, craft, and repair......   11,519      86.2     13.4     4.1     4.0     2.4      .2       2.1       .6 
       Mechanics and repairers....................    3,863      85.3     14.2     4.2     4.7     2.7      .3       1.6       .6 
       Construction trades........................    4,069      95.3      4.4      .6      .9      .8     -         1.8       .3 
       Other precision production, craft, and                                                                                     
        repair....................................    3,587      77.0     22.8     7.9     6.7     4.0      .2       3.0      1.0 
                                                                                                                                  
     Operators, fabricators, and laborers.........   14,812      72.5     27.0     7.7     7.4     4.3      .5       5.4      1.7 
       Machine operators, assemblers, and                                                                                         
        inspectors................................    6,813      73.4     26.2    10.1     8.4     4.6      .2       2.0       .7 
       Transportation and material moving.........    4,351      69.2     30.4     4.6     4.1     4.7      .9      12.3      3.9 
       Handlers, equipment cleaners, helpers, and                                                                                 
        laborers..................................    3,648      74.8     24.6     7.0     9.3     3.4      .3       3.7       .8 
                                                                                                                                  
                       Industry                                                                                                   
                                                                                                                                  
     Private sector...............................   75,612      82.3     17.4     4.7     3.5     2.9      .4       4.3      1.4 
       Goods-producing industries.................   25,925      84.1     15.6     5.1     4.5     2.6     0.2       2.1      0.9 
         Agriculture..............................    1,492      93.1      6.7      .3      .3      .7      .5       4.1       .8 
         Mining...................................      541      74.6     25.4     4.8     2.3    12.5      .2       5.0       .5 
         Construction.............................    5,389      95.9      3.7      .4      .2      .3      .1       2.1       .6 
         Manufacturing............................   18,503      80.2     19.4     6.9     6.2     3.2      .3       1.9      1.0 
           Durable goods..........................   11,179      83.0     16.8     6.9     5.0     2.3      .2       1.6       .7 
           Nondurable goods.......................    7,324      76.0     23.5     6.9     7.9     4.5      .3       2.4      1.5 
                                                                                                                                  
       Service producing industries...............   49,687      81.3     18.3     4.5     3.0     3.1      .5       5.4      1.7 
         Transportation and public utilities......    6,088      73.8     25.8     4.2     3.3     4.5      .6      10.3      2.8 
         Wholesale trade..........................    3,969      89.7     10.1     2.3     2.6     1.1      .1       2.7      1.3 
         Retail trade.............................   12,111      71.1     28.4     7.5     3.6     5.9      .8       8.8      1.6 
           Eating and drinking places.............    3,135      51.9     47.2    16.3     5.4     8.7     2.0      12.6      1.8 
         Finance, insurance, and real estate......    5,857      94.8      5.1     1.0      .7      .5      .0       1.5      1.4 
         Services.................................   21,662      83.9     15.6     4.3     3.3     2.1      .5       3.7      1.6 
           Private households.....................      391      78.9     21.1     1.9     2.2     2.3     1.1      10.2      3.4 
           Business, automobile, and repair.......    5,060      86.0     13.3     4.0     3.6     1.5      .2       2.7      1.3 
           Personal, except private household.....    1,627      74.9     24.3     7.7     4.1     3.4      .4       6.6      2.2 
           Entertainment and recreation...........    1,051      63.9     35.1     9.7     2.8     4.4     1.4      13.8      3.1 
           Professional services..................   13,497      86.0     13.7     3.6     3.3     2.0      .6       2.7      1.6 
           Forestry and fisheries.................       36      (2)      (2)     (2)     (2)     (2)     (2)       (2)      (2)  
     Government...................................   14,937      86.1     13.8     4.2     3.2     3.0      .3       1.9      1.3 
       Federal....................................    2,828      85.4     14.4     4.3     5.3     1.8      .2       1.8      1.1 
       State......................................    4,125      86.1     13.7     4.7     3.1     2.6      .3       1.8      1.2 
       Local......................................    7,983      86.4     13.6     3.9     2.4     3.5      .3       1.9      1.5 

       1 Includes persons who did not provide information on shift usually worked.
       2 Percent not shown where base is less than 75,000.
         NOTE: Data relate to the sole or principal job of full-time wage and salary workers who were at work during the survey
     reference week and exclude all self-employed persons, regardless of whether or not their businesses were incorporated.  Data
     reflect revised population controls used in the Current Population Survey effective with the January 1997 estimates.  Dash
     represents or rounds to zero.






     Table 5.  Beginning and ending hours: Full-time wage and salary workers, May 1997
     
     (Numbers in thousands)
                                                                                                         
                                                                                                         
                                                      Beginning time                 Ending time         
                                                                                                         
                       Time                                                                              
                                                 Number of       Percent       Number of       Percent   
                                                  workers                       workers                  
                                                                                                                                                                                                                  
        Total, 16 years and over.............     90,549          100.0         90,549          100.0    
                                                                                                         
                        AM                                                                               
                                                                                                         
     12:30 to 1:29...........................         84             .1            569             .6    
     1:30 to 2:29............................        100             .1            411             .5    
     2:30 to 3:29............................        179             .2            245             .3    
     3:30 to 4:29............................        421             .5            181             .2    
     4:30 to 5:29............................      1,509            1.7            231             .3    
     5:30 to 6:29............................      6,285            6.9            486             .5    
       5:30 to 5:59..........................        768             .8             51             .1    
       6:00 to 6:29..........................      5,518            6.1            435             .5    
     6:30 to 7:29............................     19,099           21.1          1,517            1.7    
       6:30 to 6:59..........................      3,085            3.4            216             .2    
       7:00 to 7:29..........................     16,014           17.7          1,302            1.4    
     7:30 to 8:29............................     29,517           32.6            930            1.0    
       7:30 to 7:59..........................      8,189            9.0            319             .4    
       8:00 to 8:29..........................     21,327           23.6            611             .7    
     8:30 to 9:29............................     12,068           13.3            182             .2    
       8:30 to 8:59..........................      5,524            6.1             64             .1    
       9:00 to 9:29..........................      6,544            7.2            117             .1    
     9:30 to 10:29...........................      1,938            2.1             69             .1    
     10:30 to 11:29..........................        762             .8             92             .1    
                                                                                                         
     11:30 AM to 12:29 PM....................        494             .5            226             .2    
                                                                                                         
                        PM                                                                               
                                                                                                         
     12:30 to 1:29...........................        429             .5            475             .5    
     1:30 to 2:29............................        868            1.0          1,706            1.9    
     2:30 to 3:29............................      2,014            2.2          7,083            7.8    
       2:30 to 2:59..........................        389             .4          1,804            2.0    
       3:00 to 3:29..........................      1,625            1.8          5,279            5.8    
     3:30 to 4:29............................      1,380            1.5         15,903           17.6    
       3:30 to 3:59..........................        451             .5          6,198            6.8    
       4:00 to 4:29..........................        929            1.0          9,705           10.7    
     4:30 to 5:29............................        555             .6         26,719           29.5    
       4:30 to 4:59..........................        163             .2          7,767            8.6    
       5:00 to 5:29..........................        392             .4         18,952           20.9    
     5:30 to 6:29............................        450             .5         11,867           13.1    
       5:30 to 5:59..........................         60             .1          4,623            5.1    
       6:00 to 6:29..........................        390             .4          7,244            8.0    
     6:30 to 7:29............................        779             .9          4,187            4.6    
     7:30 to 8:29............................        766             .8          1,861            2.1    
     8:30 to 9:29............................        415             .5          1,033            1.1    
     9:30 to 10:29...........................        514             .6          1,058            1.2    
     10:30 to 11:29..........................      1,138            1.3          1,786            2.0    
                                                                                                         
     11:30 PM to 12:29 AM....................        478             .5          1,515            1.7    
                                                                                                         
     Time varies.............................      6,572            7.3          8,304            9.2    
                                                                                                         
     Actual time not available...............      1,734            1.9          1,913            2.1    

         NOTE: Data refer to most days during the survey reference week and relate to the sole or
     principal job of wage and salary workers who were at work during the week.  Excluded are all
     self-employed persons, regardless of whether or not their businesses were incorporated.  Data
     reflect revised population controls used in the Current Population Survey effective with the January
     1997 estimates.