Flexible work schedules have more than doubled since 1985, but workers sometimes must be willing to increase their hours, work evening shifts, or switch to part-time status, self-employment, or certain occupations to get flexibility. Flexibility was less likely for nonwhite, female, unmarried, and less-educated workers. (Contains 38 notes and…

The author examines the data on workweek preferences and finds only moderate support for the hypothesis underlying the "backward bending labor supply curve," according to which an increase in rates of pay past a certain point induces workers to reduce their hours of work. (CT)

Employment increased in 1983 with these major trends: an increase in full-time, year-round employment for women; a decrease in employment for men, especially older men; more Black women employed full-time, year-round than White women; more Black unemployment than White; and more Hispanic employment than Black. (CT)

Reports the results of the March 1983 work experience survey, examining the extent and duration of joblessness and the effect on family income. (SK)

In 1999, there were 5.6 million contingent workers; the number and proportion remained unchanged from 1997-1999. Contingency rate was highest for younger workers, part-time workers, women, blacks, and Hispanics. More than half would rather have noncontingent jobs. Compared with earlier data, they were more likely to have personal than economic…

The author focuses on the workday and finds that about one of eight full-time workers were on flexitime or other schedules that allowed them to vary the start and end of their daily work. The great majority were on typical daylight schedules. (CT)

The new data on home-based work are analyzed by the author, who observes that most of the persons reporting such work are full-time workers who, apparently, do only a small part of their work at home. Only one-tenth of these workers were engaged in manufacturing activities. (CT)

The author highlights the predominance of the five-day, 40-hour workweek. Although finding little change in recent years in the proportion of workers on 40-hour schedules, Smith notes that there have been some changes in work patterns, with a still small but growing group of workers on "compressed" full-time weeks of less than five days.…

This article discusses employment trends in retail trade as well as in key industry groups since 1973. In addition, it explores the changing demographic, occupational, and earnings characteristics of retail trade workers, as well as the incidence of self-employment in the industry. (Author/CT)

Data from a time-diary survey suggest that the average elementary school teacher works almost two hours per day more than the time required by contract. However, findings show that choice of measurement substantially affects time estimates. (JOW)

Presents highlights of the issue's eight other articles that examine data from a special 1985 household survey covering topics such as the number of workers who moonlight, who work at home, who have flexible hours, or who would prefer to work more or fewer hours per week. (Author/CT)

This article focuses on earnings as a pure wage paid to the employee--stripped of any effects of tips, premium pay for overtime, bonuses, and commissions. It discusses median hourly earnings and earnings distribution (those receiving $12.00 or more per hour, minimum and subminimum wage workers). (CT)

Data collected about working mothers found that 20 percent more mothers worked in 1984 as worked in 1970; most mothers work full time; 56 percent of children under 18 have working mothers; and in 6.2 million families, the mother is the sole support of the family. (CT)

Describes labor market developments in 1985 for major age-sex, race-ethnic, industrial, and occupational groups. It also examines the performance of key employment and unemployment indicators in cyclical terms and evaluates selected developments from a secular perspective. Data discussed in this article come from two sources: household interviews…