MEDIA RELEASE
31 August 2016	Embargoed: 11.30 am (Canberra time)	94/2015

Almost a third (3.5 million) of all employed persons regularly worked from home in their main job or business, according to figures released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS).

"42 per cent of those who regularly work from home cited catching up on work as the main reason," said Jennifer Humphrys, Director of Labour Market Analytics at the ABS. "A further 20 per cent regularly worked from home because they wanted an office or didn't want to pay rent or overheads."

These were some of the results from the Characteristics of Employment survey, conducted in August 2015, which collected information on the distribution of weekly earnings, working arrangements and independent contractors.

"Nearly one in five employed persons usually worked shift work. Of these, two-fifths usually worked a rotating shift, which periodically changed," said Ms Humphrys.

The survey also found that the average weekly earnings in all jobs for the selected group had increased to $1,202 in August 2015 from $1,189 in August 2014.

Further details can be found in Characteristics of Employment, Australia, August 2015 (cat. no. 6333.0) and is available for free download from www.abs.gov.au.

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