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Equitable Part-Time Work

We know that children and communities thrive when parents have ample time to spend with their kids. We all want to live in communities in which families have access to good jobs and have the time that they need to care adequately for their children and aging or sick family members.

What do we have now, and why is it inadequate?

Part-time work is essential to our economy (one in six workers is employed part-time) but is consistently undervalued. Part-time work does not offer equitable pay or benefits, and part-time workers are less likely to be promoted:

• Part-time workers earn 20% less per hour than other workers with the same education and experience1
• In some sectors (such as sales) part-time workers earn 58 cents for every dollar a full-time worker earns.2
• Part-time work is one of the main factors predicting the wage gap between men and women and the wage gap between mothers and other women
• Only 17% of employees in part-time positions are offered health insurance through their jobs versus 69%of full-time employees.3
• Outdated laws and policies penalize part-time workers. Even if they work more than 40 hours total because they have two or three part-time jobs, part-time employees can be excluded from unemployment insurance, family leave policies, pension policies, and are not legally entitled to equal treatment.4

Ironically, part-time work is unavailable to or unaffordable for many who seek it, and conversely is the only option for many who need and want full-time work. Many people work two or more part-time jobs in order to make enough money to live, but still have no access to benefits. Others need to work full-time in order to access living wages and benefits, when part-time work at equal wages and with equal benefits would actually be preferable in the context of their family responsibilities.

What do we need, and why do we need it?

We need quality part-time work options, based on an assumption of equal pay for equal work. It includes:

• equitable (pro-rated) pay for part-time workers
• equitable (pro-rated) access to benefits (health care, retirement, unemployment benefits, paid time off ) for part-time workers
• equitable access to raises and promotions

For families, part-time work that pays well and offers benefits can be the ticket to greater economic security, improved health and well-being. Equitable part-time work would help keep parents, especially mothers, connected to the workforce. It would greatly improve their long-term earnings and economic security.5

There is also a growing body of research showing that flexible workplace policies like equitable part-time work have numerous benefits to businesses, including increased morale, decreased expenses associated with turnover, decreased absenteeism, and greater worker productivity.6

Are there any current examples of good programs or polices?

Some employers have created a culture that values part-time workers, encourages job-sharing, pays part-time workers equitably, and offers them benefits.7 Some states have passed legislation addressing some of the issues associated with part-time work. For example, some states have created rules requiring organizations/state agencies to allow part-time work and others provide social services or other benefits to part-time employees.8

Another approach that has been adopted in other countries is to officially shorten the full-time workweek. Shorter work weeks would help families deal with time famine while promoting equity and boosting the overall economy. During the Great Depression, our government almost enacted a law setting the work week at 30 hours as a means of sharing access to jobs and alleviating economic stress on families. At the time, there were a few large companies that already had short work-week policies, and research showed benefits to business, employees, families, and communities. This legislation passed the Senate in 1933 and was almost adopted by the House.

Shorter work weeks are currently being promoted by economist Dean Baker of the Center for Economic Policy and Research, is to shorten the official work week. Senator Jack Reed of Rhode Island is sponsoring legislation that would spur the development of a related idea, known as work share programs.

To learn more:

• Families and Work Institute
• Sloan Work and Family Research Network
• A Better Balance
• MomsRising
• Center for Economic Policy and Research
• "Challenging Common Myths About Workplace Flexibility" by Arlene Johnson, Lauri Shannon, Amy Richman