7.33.                  Statistics on working time have become central in their own right to describing and analysing issues relating to employment, productivity and conditions of work.[1] They are important and valuable for all countries (developed and developing alike) in respect of the observation of all work activities. The amount of time spent at work and the associated working‑time arrangements have far‑reaching legal, financial, economic and social implications for individuals and nations. 

7.34.                  Seven concepts of working time are associated with the productive activities of a person and performed in a job, namely: 

  • Hours actually worked, the key concept of working time defined for statistical purposes applicable to all jobs and to all working persons
  • Hours paid for, linked to remuneration of hours that may not all correspond to production
  • Normal hours of work that refer to legally prevailing collective hours
  • Contractual hours of work that individuals are expected to work according to contractual Relationships as distinct from normal hours
  • Hours usually worked most commonly in a job over a long observation period
  • Overtime hours of work performed beyond contracts or norms
  • Absence from work hours, when working persons do not work.[2] 

7.35.                  Notably, the definition of hours actually worked (see Box VII.7) specifies that it applies to all types of jobs (within and beyond the SNA production boundary) and is not linked to administrative or legal concepts. Thus, some countries may be interested in obtaining information on the number of hours actually worked by unpaid trainees engaged in tourism establishments or volunteers working in market or non‑market units (e.g., non‑profit organizations) active in the tourism sector, even though such persons will not be classified as employed according to the SNA production boundary. 

Box VII.7 

Concepts of working time 

Hours actually worked

(1)              Hours actually   worked is the time spent in a job for the performance of activities that   contribute to the production of goods and/or services during a specified   short or long reference period. Hours actually worked applies to all types of   jobs (within and beyond the SNA production boundary) and is not linked to   administrative or legal concepts. 

(2)              Hours actually   worked measured within the SNA production boundary includes time spent   directly on, and in relation to, productive activities; down time; and   resting time. 

Hours paid for

(1)              Hours paid for   applies to a paid‑employment job and to a self‑employment job paid on the   basis of time units (within the SNA production boundary). 

(2)              For a paid‑employment   job, hours paid for is: 

(a)              The time for   which persons have received payment from their employer (at normal or premium   rates, in cash or in kind) during a specified short or long reference period,   regardless of whether the hours were actually worked or not; 

(b)              This includes   time paid but not worked such as paid annual leave, paid public holidays and   certain absences such as paid sick leave. 

(c)              This excludes   time worked but not paid by the employer, such as unpaid overtime, and   absences that are not paid by the employer, such as unpaid educational leave   or maternity leave that may be paid through transfers by government from   social security systems. 

(3)              For a self‑employment   job (formal or informal) paid on the basis of time units, hours paid for is   equivalent to hours actually worked. 

(4)              It may be   useful to separately identify hours paid for that are actually worked (as   overtime or not) from other hours paid for (that are not worked). 

Normal hours of work

Normal hours of work are the   hours fixed by or in pursuance of laws or regulations, collective agreements   or arbitral awards to be performed in specified paid‑employment jobs over   specified reference period, such as per day, week, month or year (within the   SNA production boundary). Normal hours of work may also apply to a job in   self‑employment when the hours are in accordance with the hours fixed for all   jobs in a specific industry or occupation (such as for drivers to ensure   public safety). 

Hours usually worked

Hours usually worked is the   typical value of hours actually worked in a job per short reference period   such as one week, over a long observation period of a month, quarter, season   or year that comprises the short reference measurement period used. Hours   usually worked applies to all types of jobs (within and beyond the SNA   production boundary).

__________________________

Source: International Labour Organization (2008a).

 

[1] Detailed discussion on the importance and usefulness of collecting working time statistics is given in ILO, Report II. Measurement of Working Time.

[2] International Labour Organization (2008a), Resolution concerning the measurement of working time, para. 10 (i) (a), 18th International Conference of Labour Statisticians, 24 November – 5 December 2008, Geneva, (online), available at: http://www.ilo.org/global/statistics-and-databases/standards-and-guidelines/resolutions-adopted-by-international-conferences-of-labour-statisticians/WCMS_112455/lang--en/index.htm (30-05-2014).