December 9, 1998 (The Editor’s Desk is updated each business day.)

More people are working year-round

While the percentage of employed persons with full-time employment was virtually unchanged from 1996 to 1997, employment continues to move toward year-round, rather than part-year, work.

[Chart data—TXT]

In 1997, the proportion of all employed persons who usually worked full time (35 hours or more a week) was 79.0 percent. This proportion was virtually unchanged from 1996 and has changed little since the early 1970s.

In contrast, there has been a noticeable trend toward more year-round work. During 1997, 73.8 percent of people with work experience worked year round (at least 50 weeks), compared with 72.8 percent in 1996 and 65.0 percent in 1967.

This trend primarily reflects the increasing likelihood of employed women working year round. Since 1967, the proportion of employed women working year round has climbed by 18 percentage points, from 52.0 to 70.0 percent. During the same period, the proportion of employed men working year round rose slightly, from 73.9 to 77.3 percent.

These data are a product of the Current Population Survey. Additional information is available from news release USDL 98-470, "Work Experience of the Population in 1997."