Labour Force Characteristics - 2011 Census Fact Sheet #10

Labour force characteristics 2011 Census Fact Sheet Issue #10 Feburary 2013

Nearly two-thirds of the labour force worked full-time for 40 hours per week or more. Nearly two-thirds of the part-time labour force was female and nearly two- thirds of unemployed residents of the ACT were aged less than 35 years. Two out of every three ACT usual residents in the labour force were employed full-time In the ACT, at the time of the 2011 Census there were 203,205 people in the labour force. Nearly two-thirds (65.0 per cent) were employed full-time with a further 25.1 per cent employed part-time. Just over half (51.5 per cent) of the labour force were males. Males comprised a slightly higher share of full-time workers (58.4 per cent) and the unemployed (54.6 per cent), but a much smaller share of part-time workers (35.0 per cent). Who makes up the labour Employed full-time by age and sex, ACT usual force? residents, 2011 25,000 There were 77,163 males Only people aged 15 years or more 20,000 and 54,877 females working are included in labour force numbers. 15,000 full-time at the time of the People in the labour force may be 10,000 2011 Census. The peak age employed and working full-time or 5,000 0 group for both males and part-time, or be unemployed and females was 25-34 years looking for either full-time or part- with males outnumbering time work. Some people are not in females in every age group. the labour force as they may have males females retired, be on a pension or simply not looking for work. There were nearly 75,000 usual residents of the ACT who There were 33,150 females and 17,878 males employed part-time at the 2011 were not in the labour force at the Census. The peak age group for Employed part-time by age and sex, ACT usual time of the 2011 Census. females was 35-44 years while residents, 2011 for males it was 20-24 years. 10,000 8,000 For all age groups below 65 6,000 years, there were more females 4,000 2,000 than males working part-time. 0 Males working part-time outnumbered females in age Labour force status groups 65 years and over.

Labour force status as recorded at the males females time of the Census, refers to the week At the time of the 2011 Census, there were 7,316 ACT usual residents prior to Census night. People who Unemployed by age and sex, ACT usual residents, who were unemployed, 54.6 per cent reporting working 35 hours or more 2011 1,000 900 were males and 45.4 per cent are said to work full-time. 800 700 females. While 56.8 per cent of males 600 500 400 were looking for full-time work, 59.5 Labour force not stated 300 200 Many people choose not to or are 100 per cent of females were looking for 0 unable to answer questions about part-time work. their labour force status. Nearly 13,000 people usually resident in the ACT in 2011 did not state a response males females The number of unemployed people to the labour force question. generally declines as age increases. There were also nearly 3,000 people The peak age group for both unemployed males and females was 15-19 years with who indicated that they were males outnumbering females in all age groups except 35-44 years. employed but did not state the number of hours worked and nearly 10,000 people who said they were All data on this factsheet is sourced from the 2011 Census of Population and Housing, available for employed but did not work any hours analysis from the ABS website (see www.abs.gov.au) during the week prior to Census night. Labour force characteristics 2011 Census Fact Sheet Issue #10 Feburary 2013

How does labour force status in the 1. Australian Bureau of Statistics, 2011. Census Dictionary Australia, Catalogue ACT compare with Australia as a Number 2901.0 whole? A higher proportion of the labour force in the Labour force status contributes to income ACT is employed full-time than for Australia as For many dual income families, financial pressures may force both parents to a whole (65.0 per cent in the ACT and 59.7 work. For those families with children where both parents worked full-time, the per cent for Australia). Conversely, a lower contribution to family income is substantial compared to families where one proportion of the ACT’s labour force worked parent worked full-time and the other part-time. In the ACT in 2011, 30.6 per cent part time than for Australia (25.1 per cent and of families with children where both parents worked full-time earned incomes of 28.7 per cent respectively). A smaller share of $4,000 per week or more compared with only 12.2 per cent of families with the ACT labour force was unemployed (3.6 children where one parent worked full-time and the other part-time. per cent) compared to Australia as a whole (5.6 per cent). Weekly income, families with children, ACT In contrast, only 1.3 per cent of Labour force status, ACT and Australia, 2011 usual residents, 2011 one parent families where the 70 4,500

c parent was working full-time

r 4,000 o f 50 3,500 r u

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b 40 a l

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c 20 1,500 r e

P 10 1,000 500 children where both were 0 0 Worked full-time Worked part-time Away from work Unemployed employed full-time, ACT Aust 18.0 per cent earned $4,000 per How many hours do residents of the week or more. ACT work? Both parents working full time One parent full-time, one part-time Most people work 40 hours per week or more (45.4 per cent of the labour force). The next Do dependent children limit labour force participation? largest category was the 22.0 per cent of the For usual residents of the ACT Dependent children in lone parent families by labour force labour force working between 35-39 hours in 2011, nearly three-quarters status, ACT usual residents, 2011 2,500 per week. Similar numbers of people worked (74.0 per cent) of dependent between 1-15 hours (9.5 per cent), between 2,000 children (up to the age of 24 16-24 hours (7.5 per cent) and between 25-34 years) were in families where 1,500 hours per week (9.0 per cent). both parents were employed. Hours worked per week, ACT usual residents, 1,000 2011 Almost equal numbers were 100,000 500 90,000 in families where both parents 80,000 70,000 worked full-time (18,712 0 60,000 50,000 40,000 children), or the male parent 30,000 Employed Unemployed Not in labour force 20,000 worked full-time and the 10,000 0 female parent worked part-time (18,864 children). Only 2,136 children were in 1-15 hours per 16-24 hours 25-34 hours 35-39 hours 40 hours or week per week per week per week more per week families where both parents worked part-time, 76 children were in families where In comparison, a higher proportion worked both parents were unemployed and 1,298 children were in families where both less than 35 hours per week in Australia as a parents were not in the labour force. whole (30.4 per cent and 26.0 per cent in the The majority of dependent children in lone parent families have a parent who is ACT), but a higher proportion of ACT residents employed. Numbers peak for children aged between 5-9 years worked between 35-39 hours (22.0 per cent and 18.0 per cent in Australia). Similar (2,086 children) and those aged 15-17 years (2,000 children). proportions worked for 40 hours or more per This work is copyright. Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, no week (45.4 per cent in the ACT and 45.3 per part may be reproduced by any process without written permission from the Territory cent for Australia). Records Office, Community and Infrastructure Services, Territory and Municipal Services, ACT Government. GPO Box 158, Canberra City ACT 2601. References Enquiries about this publication should be directed to: Chief Minister and Treasury Directorate ACT Government [email protected] http://www.cmd.act.gov.au/policystrate gic/actstats © Australian Capital Territory, Canberra 2013