WORKING POPULATION

This section on Working Population includes the Key and Related series for the following Indicators:

Labour Force
Employment Conditions
Underutilised Labour
Not in the Labour Force




LABOUR FORCE


Key series

LABOUR FORCE PARTICIPATION RATE (a), 20-74 years
	2005-06	2006-07	2007-08	2008-09	2009-10	2010-11	2011-12 (b)	2012-13 (b)	2013-14 (b)	2014-15
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
Males	78.7	79.1	79.3	79.3	79.2	79.5	79.1	78.8	78.4	78.3
Females	63.0	63.7	64.4	65.0	64.7	65.1	65.2	65.1	65.0	65.1
(a) Data averaged using 12 months in the financial year. (b) Until recently, ABS policy has been to revise benchmarks for labour force data on a five-yearly basis following final rebasing of population estimates to the latest Census of Population and Housing data. However, labour force population benchmarks are now updated more frequently when preliminary population estimates become available, and again when these preliminary estimates are subsequently revised. For this release of Gender Indicators, Australia, labour force estimates dating back to (and including) 2011-12 have been revised in accordance with this new benchmarking process. Future revisions to benchmarks will then take place every time a new year of labour force data becomes available for publishing in the Gender Indicators publication. Re-benchmarking historical data has not resulted in any material change to unemployment rates, participation rates or employment to population ratios. For more information see ABS Labour Force, Australia, Feb 2015 (cat. no. 6202.0). Source: ABS data available on request, Labour Force Survey.

Related series

EMPLOYMENT TO POPULATION RATIO (a), 20-74 years
	2005-06	2006-07	2007-08	2008-09	2009-10	2010-11	2011-12 (b)	2012-13 (b)	2013-14 (b)	2014-15
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
Males	75.6	76.3	76.8	76.0	75.5	76.3	75.8	75.2	74.4	74.3
Females	60.3	61.1	62.0	62.2	61.7	62.3	62.2	62.1	61.7	61.6
(a) Data averaged using 12 months in the financial year. (b) Until recently, ABS policy has been to revise benchmarks for labour force data on a five-yearly basis following final rebasing of population estimates to the latest Census of Population and Housing data. However, labour force population benchmarks are now updated more frequently when preliminary population estimates become available, and again when these preliminary estimates are subsequently revised. For this release of Gender Indicators, Australia, labour force estimates dating back to (and including) 2011-12 have been revised in accordance with this new benchmarking process. Future revisions to benchmarks will then take place every time a new year of labour force data becomes available for publishing in the Gender Indicators publication. Re-benchmarking historical data has not resulted in any material change to unemployment rates, participation rates or employment to population ratios. For more information see ABS Labour Force, Australia, Feb 2015 (cat. no. 6202.0). Source: ABS data available on request, Labour Force Survey.

For a historical commentary on this indicator, refer to the January 2013 release.EMPLOYMENT CONDITIONS


Key series

EMPLOYED PERSONS, PROPORTION EMPLOYED PART-TIME (a), 20-74 years
	2005-06	2006-07	2007-08	2008-09	2009-10	2010-11	2011-12 (b)	2012-13 (b)	2013-14 (b)	2014-15
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
Males	11.8	12.1	12.2	12.4	13.7	13.5	13.5	13.6	14.4	14.6
Females	42.8	41.9	41.8	42.1	43.3	43.1	43.1	43.1	43.4	43.8
(a) Data averaged using 12 months in the financial year. (b) Until recently, ABS policy has been to revise benchmarks for labour force data on a five-yearly basis following final rebasing of population estimates to the latest Census of Population and Housing data. However, labour force population benchmarks are now updated more frequently when preliminary population estimates become available, and again when these preliminary estimates are subsequently revised. For this release of Gender Indicators, Australia, labour force estimates dating back to (and including) 2011-12 have been revised in accordance with this new benchmarking process. Future revisions to benchmarks will then take place every time a new year of labour force data becomes available for publishing in the Gender Indicators publication. Re-benchmarking historical data has not resulted in any material change to unemployment rates, participation rates or employment to population ratios. For more information see ABS Labour Force, Australia, Feb 2015 (cat. no. 6202.0). Source: ABS data available on request, Labour Force Survey.

Related series

AVERAGE HOURS WORKED PER WEEK (a) , BY FULL-TIME/ PART-TIME STATUS (b), 20-74 years (c)
	2005-06	2006-07	2007-08	2008-09	2009-10	2010-11	2011-12 (d)	2012-13 (d)	2013-14 (d)	2014-15
	hrs	hrs	hrs	hrs	hrs	hrs	hrs	hrs	hrs	hrs
Employed full-time
Males	41.4	40.8	41.9	41.2	41.2	41.2	40.5	40.3	41.5	40.7
Females	37.4	36.9	37.6	37.3	37.1	37.2	36.4	36.2	37.1	36.5
Employed part-time
Males	17.5	17.4	17.6	17.4	17.5	17.4	17.3	17.3	17.8	17.6
Females	16.9	16.8	17.1	17.0	16.9	17.1	16.8	16.9	17.5	17.3
(a) Financial year average hours worked. The time includes all paid and unpaid overtime but excludes hours paid for but not worked during the reference period due to leave (e.g. annual, sick or maternity leave) or for any other reason (e.g. public holidays, meal breaks, time spent on travel to and from work). (b) Full-time or part-time status is based on usual and actual hours worked by the respondent during the survey reference week. Those who usually worked 35 hours or more a week (in all jobs) and those who, although usually working less than 35 hours a week, worked 35 hours or more during the reference week are classified as full-time. Those who usually work less than 35 hours (in all jobs) and did so during the reference week, or were not at work in the reference week are classified as part-time. (c) Average actual hours worked per week may appear reduced for some populations more than others due to the method of determining full-time or part-time status (see footnote (b)). For instance, the average actual hours worked per week for full-time female parents whose youngest child is aged 0-5 years, is consistently below 35 hours. This is likely to be due to significant amounts of paid leave being taken, reducing the averaged figure, however as they usually work 35 hours or more they are included in the full-time population. (d) Until recently, ABS policy has been to revise benchmarks for labour force data on a five-yearly basis following final rebasing of population estimates to the latest Census of Population and Housing data. However, labour force population benchmarks are now updated more frequently when preliminary population estimates become available, and again when these preliminary estimates are subsequently revised. For this release of Gender Indicators, Australia, labour force estimates dating back to (and including) 2011-12 have been revised in accordance with this new benchmarking process. Future revisions to benchmarks will then take place every time a new year of labour force data becomes available for publishing in the Gender Indicators publication. Re-benchmarking historical data has not resulted in any material change to unemployment rates, participation rates or employment to population ratios. For more information see ABS Labour Force, Australia, Feb 2015 (cat. no. 6202.0). Source: ABS data available on request, Labour Force Survey.

EMPLOYEES, PROPORTION WITHOUT PAID LEAVE ENTITLEMENTS (a), 20-74 years
	Nov-2009	Nov-2010	Nov-2011	Nov-2012	Nov-2013
	%	%	%	%	%
Males	17.3	17.1	17.4	17.1	17.9
Females	24.2	23.5	22.7	22.4	22.5
(a) Employees without paid holiday and paid sick leave entitlements. Source: ABS data available on request, Forms of Employment Survey.

EMPLOYEES, PROPORTION WHO ARE INDEPENDENT CONTRACTORS OR OTHER BUSINESS OPERATORS, 20-74 years
	Nov-2009	Nov-2010	Nov-2011	Nov-2012	Nov-2013
	%	%	%	%	%
Males	24.8	24.8	23.4	22.4	22.4
Females	13.9	14.1	13.9	13.5	12.9
Source: ABS data available on request, Forms of Employment Survey.

For a historical commentary on this indicator, refer to the January 2013 release.





UNDERUTILISED LABOUR


Key series

UNEMPLOYMENT RATE, 20-74 years (a)
	2005-06	2006-07	2007-08	2008-09	2009-10	2010-11	2011-12 (b)	2012-13 (b)	2013-14 (b)	2014-15
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
Males	4.0	3.5	3.2	4.1	4.7	4.0	4.2	4.6	5.1	5.2
Females	4.2	4.0	3.8	4.2	4.6	4.4	4.6	4.7	5.1	5.3
(a) Data averaged using 12 months in the financial year. (b) Until recently, ABS policy has been to revise benchmarks for labour force data on a five-yearly basis following final rebasing of population estimates to the latest Census of Population and Housing data. However, labour force population benchmarks are now updated more frequently when preliminary population estimates become available, and again when these preliminary estimates are subsequently revised. For this release of Gender Indicators, Australia, labour force estimates dating back to (and including) 2011-12 have been revised in accordance with this new benchmarking process. Future revisions to benchmarks will then take place every time a new year of labour force data becomes available for publishing in the Gender Indicators publication. Re-benchmarking historical data has not resulted in any material change to unemployment rates, participation rates or employment to population ratios. For more information see ABS Labour Force, Australia, Feb 2015 (cat. no. 6202.0). Source: ABS data available on request, Labour Force Survey.

Related series

UNDEREMPLOYMENT RATE, 20-74 years (a)
	2005-06	2006-07	2007-08	2008-09	2009-10	2010-11	2011-12 (b)	2012-13 (b)	2013-14 (b)	2014-15
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
Males	4.2	4.2	3.8	4.5	5.0	4.9	4.8	4.8	5.1	5.8
Females	8.1	7.5	7.3	7.9	8.7	8.2	8.4	8.5	9.0	9.7
(a) Data were calculated as an average of four quarters (August, November, February, May) in the financial year. (b) Until recently, ABS policy has been to revise benchmarks for labour force data on a five-yearly basis following final rebasing of population estimates to the latest Census of Population and Housing data. However, labour force population benchmarks are now updated more frequently when preliminary population estimates become available, and again when these preliminary estimates are subsequently revised. For this release of Gender Indicators, Australia, labour force estimates dating back to (and including) 2011-12 have been revised in accordance with this new benchmarking process. Future revisions to benchmarks will then take place every time a new year of labour force data becomes available for publishing in the Gender Indicators publication. Re-benchmarking historical data has not resulted in any material change to unemployment rates, participation rates or employment to population ratios. For more information see ABS Labour Force, Australia, Feb 2015 (cat. no. 6202.0). Source: ABS data available on request, Labour Force Survey.

LABOUR FORCE UNDERUTILISATION RATE, 20-74 years (a)
	2005-06	2006-07	2007-08	2008-09	2009-10	2010-11	2011-12 (b)	2012-13 (b)	2013-14 (b)	2014-15
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
Males	8.3	7.7	7.0	8.6	9.7	8.8	9.1	9.4	10.2	11.0
Females	12.3	11.6	11.1	12.2	13.2	12.7	13.1	13.3	14.2	15.0
(a) Data were calculated as an average of four quarters (August, November, February, May) in the financial year. (b) Until recently, ABS policy has been to revise benchmarks for labour force data on a five-yearly basis following final rebasing of population estimates to the latest Census of Population and Housing data. However, labour force population benchmarks are now updated more frequently when preliminary population estimates become available, and again when these preliminary estimates are subsequently revised. For this release of Gender Indicators, Australia, labour force estimates dating back to (and including) 2011-12 have been revised in accordance with this new benchmarking process. Future revisions to benchmarks will then take place every time a new year of labour force data becomes available for publishing in the Gender Indicators publication. Re-benchmarking historical data has not resulted in any material change to unemployment rates, participation rates or employment to population ratios. For more information see ABS Labour Force, Australia, Feb 2015 (cat. no. 6202.0). Source: ABS data available on request, Labour Force Survey.

For a historical commentary on this indicator, refer to the January 2013 release.




NOT IN LABOUR FORCE


Key series

PERSONS NOT IN LABOUR FORCE, 20-74 years (a)
	2005-06	2006-07	2007-08	2008-09	2009-10	2010-11	2011-12 (b)	2012-13 (b)	2013-14 (b)	2014-15
	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%	%
Males	21.3	20.9	20.7	20.7	20.8	20.5	20.9	21.2	21.6	21.7
Females	37.0	36.3	35.6	35.1	35.3	34.9	34.8	34.9	35.0	34.9
(a) Data averaged using 12 months in the financial year. (b) Until recently, ABS policy has been to revise benchmarks for labour force data on a five-yearly basis following final rebasing of population estimates to the latest Census of Population and Housing data. However, labour force population benchmarks are now updated more frequently when preliminary population estimates become available, and again when these preliminary estimates are subsequently revised. For this release of Gender Indicators, Australia, labour force estimates dating back to (and including) 2011-12 have been revised in accordance with this new benchmarking process. Future revisions to benchmarks will then take place every time a new year of labour force data becomes available for publishing in the Gender Indicators publication. Re-benchmarking historical data has not resulted in any material change to unemployment rates, participation rates or employment to population ratios. For more information see ABS Labour Force, Australia, Feb 2015 (cat. no. 6202.0). Source: ABS data available on request, Labour Force Survey.

Definitions of the concepts presented above can be found in the Economic Security Glossary (under the Explanatory Notes tab). More detailed information can be found in the Economic Security Data Cube (under the Downloads tab).