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101 Monthly Lab. Rev. 3 (1978)
Voluntary Part-Time Workers: A Growing Part of the Labor Force

handle is hein.journals/month101 and id is 519 raw text is: Voluntary part-time workers: a growing part of the labor force Since 1954, their numbers have almost tripled; the increase is concentrated among women and youth and in service-producing industries WILLIAM V. DEUTERMANN, JR., AND SCOTT CAMPBELL BROWN The rising proportion of wage and salary workers who work part time (fewer than 35 hours per week) has been an interesting aspect of employment growth in the United States. Since 1954 (the first year for which data are available), the number of part-time employees in nonagricultural industries has in- creased at an average annual rate of nearly 4 percent, more than double the rate of increase for full-time workers. As a result, 22 percent of all nonagricul- tural employees were working part time in May 1977, up from a little more than 15 percent in May 1954. Several factors have contributed to this develop- ment. Changes in the composition of the labor force, particularly the increasing proportions of women and school-age youth, have had a profound effect on the growth of the part-time labor supply. In addi- tioft, public policies have encouraged certain groups of workers to seek part-time jobs. Various student assistance programs, for example, have enabled more people to combine education and part-time work. William V. Deutermann, Jr., is a demographer, formerly in the Office of Current Employment Analysis, Bureau of Labor Statistics. Scott Camp- bell Brown is a demographer in that office. The social security program, which permits pension recipients to retain a limited amount of earnings without losing any benefits, also encourages part- time work. On the demand side, the growth of serv- ice-producing industries, which offer more part- time jobs than do goods-producing industries, has been important in making part-time work available. The preference of many persons, including the handicapped, for regular part-time employment has led recently to demonstration projects designed to examine the effects on worker morale and productiv- ity and employer costs of converting some full-time jobs into half-time jobs.I In addition, legislation has been introduced in the Congress to increase part- time career opportunities within the Federal Civil Service at all grade levels, including professional and managerial positions.' This article examines long-term trends in part- time work and some of the contributing factors. It looks at the demographic characteristics of current part-time employees and identifies the occupations and industries which are prime users of part-time schedules. The primary data source is the Current Population Survey, a national sample survey of households conducted for the Bureau of Labor Sta-

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