Working Hour Arrangments - New Results from the German Time Use Survey 2001/02 Compared to 1991/92

Abstract

Up to now the discussion about new working time arrangements and flexible working times has lacked an empirical foundation based on personal micro data. It is the task of this study to analyze deviations from what we call a normal work day in two dimensions: first, in respect of the timing of work time, second, the issue of whether a work day is interrupted into several periods of work by longer breaks. Beyond a mere descriptive analysis of socio-economic characteristics for the respective working time arrangements we employed a multinomial logit model to explain the individual choice of a working time pattern. Using the two time budget studies conducted by the German Federal Statistical Office in 1991/92 and 2001/02 we present the development of working time arrangements. It turns out that for the time interval between the two samples the share of normal work days in total work days has declined considerably. At the same time the socio-economic structure of the working time arrangements and the reasons for choosing a special type of working time has changed as well. While e.g. in 1991/92 pecuniary (dis-) incentives as wage or further household income played a prominent role in the decision for a working time pattern, this role has declined during the ten year period.