Full-time/part-time/casual Work

 

Full time

• 35-40 hours per week
• Advantages – job security, paid holiday long service and paid sick leave.

• Disadvantages – no having enough time to enjoy hobbies.

 

Part time

• 9-35 hours per week
• Advantages – job security, pro rata paid holiday, sick and long service leave
• Disadvantages – smaller weekly pay and reduced entitlements compared to full time employees

 

Casual time

• No minimum working hours

• Advantages – ‘Loading’ – extra pay to compensate for not receiving leave entitlements.
• Disadvantages – do not receive paid holiday, sick or long service leave, can be dismissed when not required, lack of job security.

 

Self employed/contract work

• Advantages – freedom, flexibility, ‘be your own boss’
• Disadvantages – no guaranteed income, lack of job security, have to pay own entitlements.

 

Changing Work Patterns

Demographic Changes

• Increase in women in the workforce

• Increase in ‘family friendly; workplaces to retain female staff.

 

Casualization of the labour force

• Increase in casual employment opportunities.
• Attracts young people and women to the workforce
• Decreases the number of promotion opportunities available to these employees.

 

Technological change

• Work can be contracted to people working from home.

• Less people are employed in manufacturing

• More people work in IT and service industries
• New jobs are created using new technologies, other are becoming out dated.

 

Flexible Working Conditions

• Flexitime – allows employees to nominate starting and finishing times to suit their needs.

• Job sharing – allows two employees to share the hours required for one job
• Lengthening shifts to 10 hours

 

Types of Employment Contracts

 

Awards

 

Advantages:
Set a minimum for pay and conditions

Cover all employees performing a similar job

Protect employees from exploitation.

 

Disadvantages:
Inflexible – may not suit all employees

Prevent recognition of individual initiative.

 

Enterprise Agreements

 

Advantages:
Consultation with and involvement of employees

Possibility of improved pay and conditions

Access to training

Greater flexibility

 

Disadvantages:

Undermine award standards with some employees working longer hours

Possibility of job losses

Greater inequality in wage rates between employees

 

Individual Workplace Agreement

 

Advantages:
Increased pay

Flexible work arrangements

Individual initiative rewarded

 

Disadvantages:
Possible reduction in entitlements

Abandon the protection of an award

Possible exploitation of employees due to unfair bargaining positions.

 

Common Law Contract

 

Advantages:
Right to sue for compensation if the employment conditions are not met

Flexibility to suit the varied needs of individuals

Includes informal arrangements

Individual initiative rewarded

 

Disadvantages:
Possible exploitation of employees due to unfair bargaining positions

No union representation

Expense of any court case

 

Unemployment

 

• To be considered ‘unemployed’, a person must be:
  - Without work
• Available to begin work
• Actively seeking employment

 

 

Unemployment can result from:
- People leaving their jobs and going in search of another

• Seasonal jobs
• A fall in customer spending – reducing demand for employees
• Introduction of new technology

 

Unemployment Rate (%)

 

Number of unemployed people x 100
Total labour force                              1

 

Personal costs of Unemployment

 

• Poverty
• Boredom
• Loss of self esteem
• Loss of skills
• Ridicules and prejudice
• Discrimination
• Poor health
• Isolation

 

Legal Issues Relation to Employment

 

Occupational Health and Safety

• OH&S Act 2000 states the legal requirements of employees and employers. OH&S is everyone’s responsibility!

 

Anti-discrimination

• Any termination of employment that is considered harsh, unfair or unreasonable is illegal.