Almost three quarters of a million (733,900) part-time workers were underemployed in September 2010, according to figures released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).


This represents 22% of all part-time workers. Over half (55%) of all underemployed part-time workers preferred to work full-time hours (at least 35 hours per week).


One in two underemployed part-time workers were looking for more hours of work. The most common steps taken to find more hours of work were to ask their current employer (62%), contact a prospective employer (53%), or search the internet (51%). Over half (59%) of all underemployed part-time workers preferred to work more hours with their current employer.


Older workers tended to experience longer durations of underemployment. One in two (49%) underemployed part-time workers aged 45-54 years, and 52% of those aged 55 years and over, had been underemployed for one year or more. In comparison, 25% of underemployed workers aged 15–19 years had been underemployed for one year or more.


Further information is available in Underemployed Workers, Australia, September 2010 (cat. no. 6265.0)