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http://www.eoc.org.uk/cseng/policyandcampaigns/flexibleworkingindex.asp

Flexible and part-time work investigation
A new report from the EOC 'Part-time is no crime - so why the
penalty?' presents startling new evidence about part-time work in the
UK, and the penalties that this brings to millions of workers. The
report is the interim report of a major investigation into part-time
and flexible work that was launched in July 2004.



The report looks at who does part-time work, where part-timers work,
whether part-time workers work to their full potential and the
penalties of part-time work. Click on the links to the right to go to
the full report, the executive summary, or key facts and figures. The
EOC has also carried out polling to gauge public opinion on part-time
and flexible working and caring - click on the link to find out how
the public feels.

Public consultation
The investigation is now moving into it's second phase with a wide
ranging public consultation on questions raised by the investigation.
You can help the investigation by responding to our consultation -
the consultation questions are in the report or are available
separately - click on the link.

Your experiences of part-time or flexible working
Since launching the report over 160 people have contacted the EOC to
tell of their experiences, good and bad, of flexible and part-time
work. Many of these responses are posted on our noticeboard. The
interim report highlights some of these real life experiences. Click
here to read the noticeboard or submit your own experience.


http://www.eoc.org.uk/cseng/news/14_feb_flexwork.asp

Press release: 3.8 million part-timers working 'below their
potential'
Strict embargo until: 00.01 hours, Monday 14 February

EOC investigation: Part-time is no crime - so why the penalty?
More than half the UK's part-time workers are in jobs that they feel
fail to capitalise on their qualifications, skills and previous
management experience. Working part-time in low-paid jobs can 'scar'
their income, earnings potential and promotion prospects for life while
the economy loses essential skills, according to a new report
illustrating the 'penalties' of working part-time, released by the
Equal Opportunities Commission today.

Part-time is no crime - so why the penalty? argues that the way to
tackle the stigma and disadvantage faced by those who work part-time is
by opening up flexible working practices at all levels of the economy
and by opening the right to request flexible working to parents of
older children and carers.

Part Time is no Crime - so why the penalty? reports that 78% of
Britain's part-time workers are women - many of whom work in
low-level jobs in administration and service industries. A key trigger
for working part-time, the report argues, is the need to balance work
and caring responsibilities. Because of the lack of flexibility in
their chose careers many women have to take up alternative work which
is often low paid and part-time.

The skills drain from full-time work to low-paid part-time work has a
major impact upon household income, career chances and British
productivity, the report shows.

Part-time is no crime - so why the penalty? shows that part-time
workers are 40% less likely to receive in-work training than full-time
counterparts. It also reports that women-part time workers earn an
average 40% less per hour than male full-time workers.

The interim report of the EOC's investigation into flexible and
part-time working also reveals that the odds of a woman being in
part-time work increase by almost eight times if she has a second child
aged 0-4 - and argues that the lack of availability of affordable,
good quality childcare is a key trigger for entry into part-time work.

Julie Mellor, Chair of the Equal Opportunities Commission, said:

"Britain is facing a crisis if it does not address the need for
flexible hours at work. Women are hardest hit by the part-time
'penalty' which channels them into low-paid jobs with poor prospects
often because they take on more of the caring role at home.

"Many people choose to work part-time but they don't choose low pay.

"What we need is to enable parents of older children and carers to ask
their employer to work flexibly, and encourage employers to offer
better paid jobs on a more flexible basis. Only that way can we keep
essential skills in the economy whilst allowing people to do the vital
role of caring for others."

Part-time is no crime - so why the penalty? illustrates the reality
for part-time workers in Britain:

Staying in part-time work exacerbates the pay gap. Each year of
part-time work leads to a decrease of 1% in hourly wages on average.
This is in addition to missing out on the 3% gain in wages that each
year of working full-time brings. (Olsen and Walby, 2004)

Between 1991-2002, male and female part-time workers received 40% less
training on average than their full-time counterparts. (Francesconi and
Gosling, 2005)

Part-time work has a 'scarring' effect on earnings. The longer a person
is in part-time work, the lower their wages are likely to be, even if
they return to full-time work. Women who have spent just one year in
part-time work can still expect to earn 10% less after 15 years than
those who worked full-time for all 15 years (Francesconi and Gosling,
2005)

Women working part-time earn on average 40% less per hour (=A38.19) than
men working full-time (=A313.73) - a gap that has barely changed in
thirty years (ONS, 2004c).

Sarah Cotton's experience of part-time working illustrates the
'penalty' that many pay:

"I was a manager in my company and following maternity leave asked to
work part-time three days a week to manage my caring responsibilities.
It was agreed for three months after which there would be a review.
After that time I was told it wasn't working and was offered other
part-time work at a much lower level which was unacceptable to me. I
was then dismissed without any discussion. I felt they marginalised me
at work."

E n d s

Note to editors:

Part-time work is defined in the study as those people working for less
than 30 hours a week.

Results from a BMRB survey of 2,300 part-time workers carried out in
January 2005 show that over half (51%) of those people employed
part-time are currently working below their potential in that they feel
that in previous jobs they did more staff management/supervision, used
higher qualifications, and/or used a higher level of skills.

Employers who do offer flexible working say that they benefit. BT and
RAC are two companies that have seen increased productivity as a
result.

There are 7.4 million part-time workers in the UK (ONS, 2004a) - 26%
of all those in employment. 78% of these workers are women.

Paul Myners, Chair of Marks and Spencer plc, The Guardian Media Group,
Aspen Insurance and Trustee of the Tate said: "The key to creating
change is a management team with the mindset to break out of
traditional patterns of work. With women making up 80% of the workforce
at M&S we've introduced several flexible working initiatives and no
longer refer to people as 'full-time' or 'part-time'".

Female part-time workers are more likely to work in the distribution,
hotel and catering industries, in the banking sector and cleaning -
and are more likely to be in a junior or low-level role (Francesoni and
Gosling, 2005).

All research and sources for Part-time is no crime - so why the
penalty? are at Annex 1 of the full report. This is the interim report
of the EOC 's investigation into part-time and flexible working and
opens a public consultation on questions raised by the investigation.
This general formal investigation is carried out by EOC under section
57 (1) of the Sex Discrimination Act.

Questions are listed in both the executive summary and section 5 of the
full report.

The EOC has case studies available of women who have had to give up
careers, take pay cuts or go part-time due to the lack of flexible
working.

For more information, interviews, case studies and for a hard copy of
Part-time is no crime - so why the penalty? please contact:

Media support: Daniel Harris on 07989 309 058 or 0151 709 0505

Jennifer Tomlinson - Media Officer, EOC on 0207 960 2479

E-mail: dominy.jowers{at}eoc.org.uk
   Related Links
Career paths of part-time workers

Flexible and part-time work investigation

Flexible working investigation - Key facts

Investigation into flexible and part time work

Notice board

Part-time is no crime - so why the penalty? Executive summary

Part-time is no crime - so why the penalty? Interim report




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