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Internet address: http://stats.bls.gov/newsrels.htm
Technical information: (202) 606-6378
USDL 98-119

Media contact:

606-5902

For release: 10:00 A.M. EST
Thursday, March 26, 1998

WORKERS ON FLEXIBLE AND SHIFT SCHEDULES IN 1997

In May 1997, about 25.0 million full-time wage and salary workers had
flexible work schedules that allowed them to vary the time they began or
ended work, the Bureau of Labor Statistics of the U.S. Department of Labor
reported today. The proportion of workers with such schedules was 27.6
percent, up sharply from the 15.1 percent recorded when the data were last
collected in May 1991. The increase in flexible work schedules was
widespread across demographic groups, occupations, and industries.
These findings were obtained from a supplement to the May 1997 Current
Population Survey (CPS), a monthly survey of about 50,000 households that
provides the basic data on national employment and unemployment. The
information presented in this release pertain to wage and salary workers
who were at work during the May 1997 reference week and who usually worked
35 or more hours per week. The survey also collected information about the
prevalence of shift work. For further information about the survey, see
the Technical Note. Some of the highlights from the 1997 survey are:
--Men were somewhat more likely to be working flexible schedules than
women (28.7 and 26.2 percent, respectively).
--Private-sector employees were more likely to have flexible work hours
than those in the public sector (28.8 versus 21.7 percent).
--About 15.2 million persons normally worked a shift other than a regular
daytime schedule.
Flexible schedules
Among whites, 29.6 percent of the men and 27.3 percent of the women
had flexible schedules. In contrast, among blacks and Hispanics, the
proportions were lower and there was little difference by sex. Overall,
the proportions working flexible schedules among all groups has increased
considerably since 1991. (See tables A and 1.)
Parents were more likely than workers with no children under 18 to
work a flexible schedule, 28.9 and 26.8 percent, respectively. (See
table 1.)

About 42.4 percent of executives, administrators, and managers and
41.0 percent of sales workers were able to vary their work hours. In
contrast, less than one-quarter of those employed in administrative support
roles or as service workers had such flexibility. Operators, fabricators,
and laborers, and precision production, craft, and repair workers were the
least likely to have flexible work schedules. (See table 2.)
Among private-sector employees, the proportion of workers with
flexible schedules was much higher in service-producing industries (31.7
percent) than in goods-producing industries (23.3 percent). In the public
sector, flexible schedules were more common among federal government
employees (34.5 percent) than workers in state (29.4 percent) or local
government (13.1 percent), which includes public elementary and secondary
schools. (See table 2.)
- 2 Table A. Flexible schedules and shift work of full-time wage
and salary workers by sex, race, and Hispanic origin, May,
selected years, 1985-97
--------------------------------------------------------------|Percent with flexible|
Percent with
|
schedules
|
alternate shifts
Characteristics |---------------------|----------------------| May
|May
|May
| May
| May | May
| 1985 |1991 |1997 | 1985 | 1991 | 1997
--------------------------------------------------------------Sex
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Total, 16 years | 12.4 | 15.1 | 27.6 | 15.9 | 17.8 | 16.8
and over
|
|
|
|
|
|
Men
| 13.1 | 15.5 | 28.7 | 17.8 | 20.1 | 19.1
Women
| 11.3 | 14.5 | 26.2 | 13.0 | 14.6 | 13.7
|
|
|
|
|
|
Race and Hispanic|
|
|
|
|
|
origin
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
White
| 12.8 | 15.5 | 28.7 | 15.3 | 17.1 | 16.1
Black
|
9.1 | 12.1 | 20.1 | 19.9 | 23.3 | 20.9
Hispanic origin|
8.9 | 10.6 | 18.4 | 15.5 | 19.1 | 16.0
---------------------------------------------------------------NOTE: Data for May 1997 are not strictly comparable with data
for earlier years because the 1997 data incorporate 1990
census-based population controls and the effects of a major
redesign of the Current Population Survey introduced in
January 1994. Data exclude the incorporated and unincorporated

self-employed.

Shift work
Among full-time wage and salary workers, 82.9 percent were on regular
daytime schedules; alternate schedules worked included evening shifts (4.6
percent), employer-arranged irregular schedules (3.9 percent), night shifts
(3.5 percent), and rotating shifts (2.9 percent). Men were more likely
than women to work an alternate shift (19.1 and 13.7 percent, respectively).
Blacks were more likely than either whites or Hispanics to work such shifts.
Since May 1991, the proportion of full-time wage and salary workers on
alternate schedules edged down. (See tables A and 3.)
The prevalence of shift work was greatest among workers in serviceoriented occupations, such as protective service (55.1 percent)--which
includes police, firefighters, and guards--and food service (42.0 percent),
and among those employed as operators, fabricators, and laborers (27.0
percent). It was lowest for managers and professionals (9.4 percent) and
those in administrative support occupations (8.8 percent). (See table 4.)
In private-sector industries, the percent of workers on alternative
shifts was highest in eating and drinking places (47.2 percent) and lowest
in construction (3.7 percent). Although shift work was generally less
common in the public sector, nearly half the local government workers
employed in "justice, public order, and safety"--the category that includes
police and fire departments--were shift workers. (See table 4.)
Beginning and ending hours
The May 1997 supplement also provided data on the specific times
persons worked during the survey reference week. About 67.0 percent of all
full-time wage and salary workers began work at times between 6:30 A.M. and
9:29 A.M., with the greatest concentration around 8 A.M. Three-fifths
usually left between 3:30 P.M. and 6:29 P.M., with times around 5 P.M. by
far the most frequently reported. (See table 5.)
Technical Note

These data and other information on work schedules were obtained from
a supplement to the May 1997 Current Population Survey (CPS), the monthly
survey of about 50,000 households that provides information on employment
and unemployment for the nation. Respondents to the May 1997 supplement
answered questions about flexible and shift schedules, the reasons for
working particular shifts, the beginning and ending hours of work, and homebased work. The data in this release pertain to wage and salary workers

who were at work during the May 1997 reference week and who usually worked
35 hours or more per week on their principal job.
Information in this release will be made available to sensory
impaired individuals upon request. Voice phone: 202-606-STAT; TDD phone:
202-606-5897; TDD message referral phone number: 1-800-326-2577
Reliability
Statistics based on the CPS are subject to both sampling and
nonsampling error. When a sample, rather than the entire population, is
surveyed, there is a chance that the sample estimates may differ from the
"true" population values they represent. The exact difference, or sampling
error, varies depending on the particular sample selected and this
variability is measured by the standard error of the estimate. There is
about a 90-percent chance, or level of confidence, that an estimate based
on a sample will differ by no more than 1.6 standard errors from the "true"
population value because of sampling error. BLS analyses are generally
conducted at the 90-percent level of confidence.
The CPS data also are affected by nonsampling error. Nonsampling
error can occur for many reasons, including the failure to sample a segment
of the population, inability to obtain information for all respondents in
the sample, inability or unwillingness of respondents to provide correct
information, and errors made in the collection or processing of the data.
For a full discussion of the reliability of data from the CPS and
information on estimating standard errors, see the "Explanatory Notes and
Estimates of Error" section of the February 1994 and subsequent issues of
Employment and Earnings.
Concepts
Data on flexible schedules, shift work, and beginning and ending hours
of work were obtained from the following questions:

vary
1.
2.
3.

Flexible schedules. Do you have flexible work hours that allow you to
or make changes in the time you begin and end work?
Yes
No
Don't know

Shift work. On your (main) job, do you USUALLY work a regular daytime
schedule or some other schedule?
1.
A regular daytime schedule (Anytime between 6 A.M. to 6 P.M.)
2.
Some other schedule

3.

Don't know

(If the respondent answers "some other schedule" to the above question,
then the following question is asked to determine the shift worked)
Which of the following best describes the hours you USUALLY work at this
(main) job?
1.
A regular evening shift (Anytime between 2 P.M. to midnight)
2.
A regular night shift (Anytime around 9 P.M. to 8 A.M.)
3.
A rotating shift - one that changes periodically from days to evenings
or night
4.
Split shift - one consisting of two distinct periods each day
5.
An irregular schedule arranged by employer
6.
Other
7.
Don't know
Beginning and ending hours of work. Last week at what time of day did
you begin work on your (main) job most days?
1.
__hour __minutes
A.M./P.M.
2.
It varies
3.
Don't know
Last week at what time of day did you end work on your (main) job most
days?
1.
__hour __minutes
A.M./P.M.
2.
It varies
3.
Don't know
Table 1. Flexible schedules: Full-time wage and salary workers by selected characteristics, May 1997
(Numbers in thousands)

Both sexes

Women
Men

Characteristic

With flexible
schedules
Total(1)

With flexible
schedules
Total(1)

Number

Percent
of total

With flexible
schedules
Total(1)

Number

Percent
of total

Number

Percent
of total

Age
Total 16 years and over.............

90,549

25,031

27.6

52,073

14,952

28.7

38,476

10,079

26.2

16 to 19 years..........................
20 years and over.......................
20 to 24 years........................
25 to 34 years........................
35 to 44 years........................
45 to 54 years........................
55 to 64 years........................
65 years and over.....................
16 to 24 years..........................
25 to 54 years..........................
55 years and over.......................

1,640
88,909
8,462
25,208
26,755
19,596
7,778
1,110
10,102
71,559
8,888

339
24,692
1,923
7,161
7,781
5,355
2,129
344
2,262
20,296
2,473

20.7
27.8
22.7
28.4
29.1
27.3
27.4
31.0
22.4
28.4
27.8

1,050
51,023
4,968
14,721
15,434
10,806
4,431
662
6,018
40,961
5,094

177
14,774
1,111
4,231
4,730
3,118
1,334
251
1,288
12,078
1,585

16.9
29.0
22.4
28.7
30.6
28.9
30.1
38.0
21.4
29.5
31.1

590
37,886
3,494
10,486
11,321
8,790
3,347
448
4,084
30,598
3,794

161
9,918
812
2,931
3,051
2,237
796
93
973
8,218
888

27.4
26.2
23.2
27.9
26.9
25.4
23.8
20.7
23.8
26.9
23.4

75,683
10,884
9,635

21,698
2,191
1,769

28.7
20.1
18.4

44,495
5,323
6,283

13,186
1,068
1,147

29.6
20.1
18.3

31,188
5,561
3,352

8,512
1,123
622

27.3
20.2
18.5

21,721
53,369
15,459

5,523
15,358
4,150

25.4
28.8
26.8

12,746
32,756
6,571

3,180
10,077
1,695

24.9
30.8
25.8

8,975
20,613
8,888

2,343
5,281
2,456

26.1
25.6
27.6

55,251
35,298
19,852
15,446

14,824
10,208
5,542
4,666

26.8
28.9
27.9
30.2

31,266
20,807
10,820
9,986

8,596
6,356
3,211
3,146

27.5
30.5
29.7
31.5

23,985
14,491
9,032
5,459

6,228
3,851
2,331
1,520

26.0
26.6
25.8
27.8

Race and Hispanic origin
White...................................
Black...................................
Hispanic origin.........................
Marital status
Never married...........................
Married, spouse present.................
Other marital status....................
Presence and age of children
Without own children under 18...........
With own children under 18..............
With own children 6 to 17.............
With own children under 6.............

1 Includes persons who did not provide information on flexible schedules
NOTE: Data relate to the sole or principal job of full-time wage and salary workers who were at work during the
survey reference week and exclude all self-employed persons, regardless of whether or not their businesses were
incorporated. Detail for the above race and Hispanic-origin groups will not sum to totals because data for the "other
races" group are not presented and Hispanics are included in both the white and black poulation groups. Own children
include sons, daughters, step-children, and adopted children. Not included are nieces, nephews, grandchildren, and other
related and unrelated children. Data reflect revised population controls used in the Current Population Survey
effective with the January 1997 estimates.

Table 2.

Flexible schedules: Full-time wage and salary workers by occupation and industry, May 1997

(Numbers in thousands)

Both sexes

Women
Men

Occupation and industry

With flexible
schedules
Total(1)

With flexible
schedules
Total(1)

Number

Percent
of total

With flexible
schedules
Total(1)

Number

Percent
of total

Number

Percent
of total

Occupation
Managerial and professional specialty........
Executive, administrative, and managerial..
Professional specialty.....................
Mathematical and computer scientists.....
Natural scientists.......................
Teachers, college and university.........

27,384
13,469
13,915
1,308
507
494

10,651
5,705
4,947
772
327
320

38.9
42.4
35.5
59.0
64.5
64.7

13,882
7,213
6,668
887
353
330

6,407
3,251
3,156
549
240
224

46.2
45.1
47.3
61.9
68.0
68.0

13,502
6,255
7,247
421
154
164

4,245
2,454
1,791
223
87
95

31.4
39.2
24.7
53.0
56.2
58.2

Technical, sales, and administrative support.
Technicians and related support............
Sales occupations..........................
Sales workers, retail and personal
services..................................
Administrative support, including clerical.

25,779
3,376
9,001

7,828
1,040
3,687

30.4
30.8
41.0

9,992
1,724
5,106

3,613
611
2,315

36.2
35.4
45.3

15,787
1,651
3,895

4,215
429
1,372

26.7
26.0
35.2

3,165
13,402

951
3,101

30.0
23.1

1,428
3,162

464
687

32.5
21.7

1,737
10,240

487
2,414

28.0
23.6

Service occupations..........................
Private household..........................
Protective service.........................
Service, except private household and
protective................................
Food service.............................
Health service...........................
Cleaning and building service............
Personal service.........................

11,055
308
1,891

2,373
125
314

21.5
40.5
16.6

6,306
21
1,619

1,256
16
254

19.9
(2)
15.7

4,749
287
272

1,116
109
60

23.5
37.8
22.2

8,855
2,777
1,466
2,000
871

1,934
630
258
326
254

21.8
22.7
17.6
16.3
29.1

4,665
1,441
205
1,252
216

986
263
26
208
63

21.1
18.3
12.9
16.6
29.0

4,190
1,336
1,261
749
655

947
366
232
117
191

22.6
27.4
18.4
15.7
29.2

Precision production, craft, and repair......
Mechanics and repairers....................
Construction trades........................
Other precision production, craft, and
repair....................................

11,519
3,863
4,069

2,023
708
718

17.6
18.3
17.7

10,506
3,672
3,996

1,861
658
707

17.7
17.9
17.7

1,013
192
74

162
50
12

16.0
26.3
(2)

3,587

596

16.6

2,839

497

17.5

748

99

13.3

Operators, fabricators, and laborers.........
Machine operators, assemblers, and

14,812

2,156

14.6

11,388

1,815

15.9

3,424

342

10.0

inspectors................................
Transportation and material moving.........
Handlers, equipment cleaners, helpers, and
laborers..................................

6,813
4,351

702
961

10.3
22.1

4,359
4,064

521
914

12.0
22.5

2,454
287

181
47

7.4
16.3

3,648

494

13.5

2,965

379

12.8

683

114

16.7

Private sector...............................
Goods-producing industries.................
Agriculture..............................
Mining...................................
Construction.............................
Manufacturing............................
Durable goods..........................
Nondurable goods.......................

75,612
25,925
1,492
541
5,389
18,503
11,179
7,324

21,795
6,033
448
122
1,218
4,245
2,572
1,673

28.8
23.3
30.0
22.6
22.6
22.9
23.0
22.8

45,023
19,458
1,265
473
4,974
12,747
8,148
4,599

13,284
4,640
373
106
1,086
3,074
1,944
1,131

29.5
23.8
29.5
22.4
21.8
24.1
23.9
24.6

30,589
6,466
227
68
415
5,756
3,031
2,725

8,511
1,393
74
16
132
1,170
629
542

27.8
21.5
32.8
(2)
31.8
20.3
20.7
19.9

Service producing industries...............
Transportation and public utilities......
Wholesale trade..........................
Retail trade.............................
Eating and drinking places.............
Finance, insurance, and real estate......
Services.................................
Private households.....................
Business, automobile, and repair.......
Personal, except private household.....
Entertainment and recreation...........
Professional services..................
Forestry and fisheries.................
Government...................................
Federal....................................
State......................................
Local......................................

49,687
6,088
3,969
12,111
3,135
5,857
21,662
391
5,060
1,627
1,051
13,497
36
14,937
2,828
4,125
7,983

15,763
1,669
1,281
3,745
987
2,096
6,971
148
1,607
522
397
4,286
11
3,236
977
1,214
1,046

31.7
27.4
32.3
30.9
31.5
35.8
32.2
37.7
31.8
32.1
37.8
31.8
(2)
21.7
34.5
29.4
13.1

25,565
4,518
2,854
6,812
1,758
2,288
9,094
42
3,319
749
619
4,336
29
7,050
1,621
1,856
3,573

8,644
1,215
979
1,988
497
1,028
3,434
27
1,118
227
231
1,820
11
1,668
535
606
527

33.8
26.9
34.3
29.2
28.2
44.9
37.8
(2)
33.7
30.3
37.3
42.0
(2)
23.7
33.0
32.7
14.8

24,122
1,570
1,115
5,299
1,377
3,569
12,568
350
1,740
878
432
9,161
7
7,887
1,208
2,270
4,410

7,118
454
302
1,757
490
1,068
3,537
120
489
295
167
2,465
1,568
442
608
519

29.5
28.9
27.1
33.2
35.6
29.9
28.1
34.4
28.1
33.7
38.5
26.9
19.9
36.6
26.8
11.8

Industry

1 Includes persons who did not provide information on flexible schedules
2 Percent not shown where base is less than 75,000.
NOTE: Data relate to the sole or principal job of full-time wage and salary workers who were at work during the survey
reference week and exclude all self-employed persons, regardless of whether or not their businesses were incorporated. Data
reflect revised population controls used in the Current Population Survey effective with the January 1997 estimates. Dash
represents or rounds to zero.

Table 3.

Shift usually worked: Full-time wage and salary workers by selected characteristics, May 1997

(Percent distribution)

Shift workers

Characteristic

Total
workers(1) Regular
(thousand
daytime
s)
schedule

Total

Evening
shift

Night
shift

Rotating
shift

Split
shift

Employerarranged
irregular
schedule

Other
shift

Age and sex
Total 16 years and over..........
16 to 19 years.....................
20 years and over..................
20 to 24 years...................
25 to 34 years...................
35 to 44 years...................
45 to 54 years...................
55 to 64 years...................
65 years and over................
16 to 24 years.....................
25 to 54 years.....................
55 years and over..................

90,549
1,640
88,909
8,462
25,208
26,755
19,596
7,778
1,110
10,102
71,559
8,888

82.9
66.4
83.2
75.7
82.8
84.0
85.2
84.8
83.8
74.2
83.9
84.7

16.8
32.9
16.5
23.7
16.7
15.8
14.6
15.0
16.2
25.2
15.8
15.1

4.6
12.5
4.5
7.6
4.7
3.9
3.9
3.8
3.8
8.4
4.2
3.8

3.5
5.0
3.5
5.3
3.5
3.4
3.1
2.7
2.1
5.3
3.3
2.6

2.9
4.0
2.9
3.3
3.2
2.9
2.6
2.5
2.0
3.4
2.9
2.4

0.4
.9
.4
.3
.4
.4
.3
.6
.3
.4
.4
.6

3.9
8.8
3.8
6.3
3.6
3.7
3.3
3.3
4.7
6.7
3.6
3.5

1.4
1.6
1.4
.9
1.3
1.4
1.4
2.1
3.3
1.0
1.4
2.2

Men................................
Women..............................

52,073
38,476

80.5
86.1

19.1
13.7

5.0
4.1

4.0
2.8

3.5
2.2

.4
.3

4.4
3.1

1.7
1.0

75,683
10,884
9,635

83.6
78.5
83.6

16.1
20.9
16.0

4.3
6.5
5.4

3.2
5.5
3.2

2.9
3.2
2.1

.4
.4
.3

3.9
4.0
3.8

1.4
1.4
1.2

Men:
Never married....................
Married, spouse present..........
Other marital status.............

12,746
32,756
6,571

77.1
82.5
77.3

21.9
17.3
22.1

7.0
3.9
6.6

4.4
3.6
5.1

3.2
3.6
3.6

.4
.4
.5

5.9
3.9
4.2

1.1
1.9
2.0

Without own children under 18....
With own children under 18.......
With own children 6 to 17......
With own children under 6......

31,266
20,807
10,820
9,986

79.8
81.6
82.8
80.3

19.6
18.3
17.1
19.7

5.5
4.2
3.5
5.0

4.0
4.0
3.7
4.3

3.3
3.7
3.9
3.5

.4
.5
.3
.6

4.6
4.1
3.8
4.5

1.6
1.8
1.8
1.8

Race and Hispanic origin
White..............................
Black..............................
Hispanic origin....................
Marital status and presence and age
of children

Women:
Never married....................
Married, spouse present..........
Other marital status.............

8,975
20,613
8,888

79.8
89.2
85.4

19.8
10.7
14.5

6.2
3.1
4.5

4.0
2.3
2.9

3.2
1.8
2.0

.2
.3
.3

4.6
2.3
3.6

1.3
.9
1.1

Without own children under 18....
With own children under 18.......
With own children 6 to 17......
With own children under 6......

23,985
14,491
9,032
5,459

85.0
87.9
88.4
87.1

14.7
12.0
11.4
12.9

4.6
3.4
2.7
4.5

2.6
3.2
3.4
2.8

2.4
1.8
1.9
1.6

0.3
.4
.4
.3

3.6
2.4
2.3
2.6

1.2
.8
.7
1.0

1 Includes persons who did not provide information on shift usually worked.
NOTE: Data relate to the sole or principal job of full-time wage and salary workers who were at work during the
survey reference week and exclude all self-employed persons, regardless of whether or not their businesses were
incorporated. Detail for the above race and Hispanic-origin groups will not sum to totals because data for the "other
races" group are not presented and Hispanics are included in both the white and black poulation groups. Own children
include sons, daughters, step-children, and adopted children. Not included are nieces, nephews, grandchildren, and
other related and unrelated children. Data reflect revised population controls used in the Current Population Survey
effective with the January 1997 estimates.

Table 4.

Shift usually worked: Full-time wage and salary workers by occupation and industry, May 1997

(Percent distribution)

Shift workers
Total
workers(1)
(thousands)

Regular
daytime
schedule

Total

Managerial and professional specialty........
Executive, administrative, and managerial..
Professional specialty.....................
Mathematical and computer scientists.....
Natural scientists.......................
Teachers, college and university.........

27,384
13,469
13,915
1,308
507
494

90.4
91.7
89.1
94.9
94.0
86.1

9.4
8.1
10.7
4.6
6.0
13.9

1.7
1.4
2.0
.2
.9
.6

1.3
.7
1.7
.3
1.0
.5

1.7
1.7
1.6
.6
1.0

0.3
.2
.4
2.9

2.9
2.7
3.0
1.8
1.5
4.0

1.6
1.3
1.9
1.6
2.5
4.9

Technical, sales, and administrative support.
Technicians and related support............

25,779
3,376

86.2
80.4

13.5
19.2

3.5
5.6

2.1
3.8

2.6
3.7

.3
.2

3.8
4.2

1.1
1.5

Occupation and industry

Evening
shift

Night
shift

Rotating
shift

Split
shift

Employerarranged
irregular
schedule

Other
shift

Occupation

Sales occupations..........................
Sales workers, retail and personal
services..................................
Administrative support, including clerical.

9,001

81.4

18.4

3.6

1.1

4.4

.3

7.0

1.9

3,165
13,402

70.9
91.0

28.5
8.8

6.7
3.0

1.7
2.3

7.3
1.0

.6
.2

10.6
1.6

1.5
.6

Service occupations..........................
Private household..........................
Protective service.........................
Service, except private household and
protective................................
Food service.............................
Health service...........................
Cleaning and building service............
Personal service.........................

11,055
308
1,891

67.1
83.2
44.4

32.4
16.8
55.1

10.8
1.4
11.3

6.5
.8
13.2

5.4
.7
16.3

1.0
1.5
.9

6.3
8.2
7.9

2.2
4.3
5.6

8,855
2,777
1,466
2,000
871

71.4
57.3
69.5
72.2
73.2

28.0
42.0
30.1
27.1
26.4

11.0
17.1
10.8
14.9
5.1

5.3
5.0
9.4
7.3
5.0

3.3
6.2
3.3
1.2
4.7

1.0
1.8
.6
.6
.8

5.9
10.4
4.6
2.2
6.3

1.4
1.3
1.1
.7
4.5

Precision production, craft, and repair......
Mechanics and repairers....................
Construction trades........................
Other precision production, craft, and
repair....................................

11,519
3,863
4,069

86.2
85.3
95.3

13.4
14.2
4.4

4.1
4.2
.6

4.0
4.7
.9

2.4
2.7
.8

.2
.3

2.1
1.6
1.8

.6
.6
.3

3,587

77.0

22.8

7.9

6.7

4.0

.2

3.0

1.0

Operators, fabricators, and laborers.........
Machine operators, assemblers, and
inspectors................................
Transportation and material moving.........
Handlers, equipment cleaners, helpers, and
laborers..................................

14,812

72.5

27.0

7.7

7.4

4.3

.5

5.4

1.7

6,813
4,351

73.4
69.2

26.2
30.4

10.1
4.6

8.4
4.1

4.6
4.7

.2
.9

2.0
12.3

.7
3.9

3,648

74.8

24.6

7.0

9.3

3.4

.3

3.7

.8

Private sector...............................
Goods-producing industries.................
Agriculture..............................
Mining...................................
Construction.............................
Manufacturing............................
Durable goods..........................
Nondurable goods.......................

75,612
25,925
1,492
541
5,389
18,503
11,179
7,324

82.3
84.1
93.1
74.6
95.9
80.2
83.0
76.0

17.4
15.6
6.7
25.4
3.7
19.4
16.8
23.5

4.7
5.1
.3
4.8
.4
6.9
6.9
6.9

3.5
4.5
.3
2.3
.2
6.2
5.0
7.9

2.9
2.6
.7
12.5
.3
3.2
2.3
4.5

.4
0.2
.5
.2
.1
.3
.2
.3

4.3
2.1
4.1
5.0
2.1
1.9
1.6
2.4

1.4
0.9
.8
.5
.6
1.0
.7
1.5

Service producing industries...............
Transportation and public utilities......
Wholesale trade..........................
Retail trade.............................
Eating and drinking places.............
Finance, insurance, and real estate......
Services.................................

49,687
6,088
3,969
12,111
3,135
5,857
21,662

81.3
73.8
89.7
71.1
51.9
94.8
83.9

18.3
25.8
10.1
28.4
47.2
5.1
15.6

4.5
4.2
2.3
7.5
16.3
1.0
4.3

3.0
3.3
2.6
3.6
5.4
.7
3.3

3.1
4.5
1.1
5.9
8.7
.5
2.1

.5
.6
.1
.8
2.0
.0
.5

5.4
10.3
2.7
8.8
12.6
1.5
3.7

1.7
2.8
1.3
1.6
1.8
1.4
1.6

-

Industry

Private households.....................
Business, automobile, and repair.......
Personal, except private household.....
Entertainment and recreation...........
Professional services..................
Forestry and fisheries.................
Government...................................
Federal....................................
State......................................
Local......................................

391
5,060
1,627
1,051
13,497
36
14,937
2,828
4,125
7,983

78.9
86.0
74.9
63.9
86.0
(2)
86.1
85.4
86.1
86.4

21.1
13.3
24.3
35.1
13.7
(2)
13.8
14.4
13.7
13.6

1.9
4.0
7.7
9.7
3.6
(2)
4.2
4.3
4.7
3.9

2.2
3.6
4.1
2.8
3.3
(2)
3.2
5.3
3.1
2.4

2.3
1.5
3.4
4.4
2.0
(2)
3.0
1.8
2.6
3.5

1.1
.2
.4
1.4
.6
(2)
.3
.2
.3
.3

10.2
2.7
6.6
13.8
2.7
(2)
1.9
1.8
1.8
1.9

3.4
1.3
2.2
3.1
1.6
(2)
1.3
1.1
1.2
1.5

1 Includes persons who did not provide information on shift usually worked.
2 Percent not shown where base is less than 75,000.
NOTE: Data relate to the sole or principal job of full-time wage and salary workers who were at work during the survey
reference week and exclude all self-employed persons, regardless of whether or not their businesses were incorporated. Data
reflect revised population controls used in the Current Population Survey effective with the January 1997 estimates. Dash
represents or rounds to zero.

Table 5.

Beginning and ending hours: Full-time wage and salary workers, May 1997

(Numbers in thousands)

Beginning time

Ending time

Time

Total, 16 years and over.............

Number of
workers

Percent

Number of
workers

Percent

90,549

100.0

90,549

100.0

84
100
179
421
1,509
6,285
768
5,518

.1
.1
.2
.5
1.7
6.9
.8
6.1

569
411
245
181
231
486
51
435

.6
.5
.3
.2
.3
.5
.1
.5

AM
12:30 to 1:29...........................
1:30 to 2:29............................
2:30 to 3:29............................
3:30 to 4:29............................
4:30 to 5:29............................
5:30 to 6:29............................
5:30 to 5:59..........................
6:00 to 6:29..........................

6:30 to 7:29............................
6:30 to 6:59..........................
7:00 to 7:29..........................
7:30 to 8:29............................
7:30 to 7:59..........................
8:00 to 8:29..........................
8:30 to 9:29............................
8:30 to 8:59..........................
9:00 to 9:29..........................
9:30 to 10:29...........................
10:30 to 11:29..........................

19,099
3,085
16,014
29,517
8,189
21,327
12,068
5,524
6,544
1,938
762

21.1
3.4
17.7
32.6
9.0
23.6
13.3
6.1
7.2
2.1
.8

1,517
216
1,302
930
319
611
182
64
117
69
92

1.7
.2
1.4
1.0
.4
.7
.2
.1
.1
.1
.1

11:30 AM to 12:29 PM....................

494

.5

226

.2

12:30 to 1:29...........................
1:30 to 2:29............................
2:30 to 3:29............................
2:30 to 2:59..........................
3:00 to 3:29..........................
3:30 to 4:29............................
3:30 to 3:59..........................
4:00 to 4:29..........................
4:30 to 5:29............................
4:30 to 4:59..........................
5:00 to 5:29..........................
5:30 to 6:29............................
5:30 to 5:59..........................
6:00 to 6:29..........................
6:30 to 7:29............................
7:30 to 8:29............................
8:30 to 9:29............................
9:30 to 10:29...........................
10:30 to 11:29..........................

429
868
2,014
389
1,625
1,380
451
929
555
163
392
450
60
390
779
766
415
514
1,138

.5
1.0
2.2
.4
1.8
1.5
.5
1.0
.6
.2
.4
.5
.1
.4
.9
.8
.5
.6
1.3

475
1,706
7,083
1,804
5,279
15,903
6,198
9,705
26,719
7,767
18,952
11,867
4,623
7,244
4,187
1,861
1,033
1,058
1,786

.5
1.9
7.8
2.0
5.8
17.6
6.8
10.7
29.5
8.6
20.9
13.1
5.1
8.0
4.6
2.1
1.1
1.2
2.0

11:30 PM to 12:29 AM....................

478

.5

1,515

1.7

Time varies.............................

6,572

7.3

8,304

9.2

Actual time not available...............

1,734

1.9

1,913

2.1

PM

NOTE: Data refer to most days during the survey reference week and relate to the sole or
principal job of wage and salary workers who were at work during the week. Excluded are all
self-employed persons, regardless of whether or not their businesses were incorporated. Data
reflect revised population controls used in the Current Population Survey effective with the January

1997 estimates.