Part-time and casual employees are increasingly shouldering unpaid overtime hours, as full-time workers benefit from right-to-disconnect laws in the workplace.
According to recent research conducted by the Centre for Future Work at The Australia Institute, the average employee is clocking 3.5 hours of unpaid overtime weekly. This adds up to more than four and a half weeks of full-time work annually.
The study reveals that this unpaid labor results in an average financial loss of around $8,000 per worker, contributing to a staggering $95.8 billion deficit across the entire workforce.
The findings indicate that full-time workers are averaging 3.8 hours of unpaid overtime each week, while part-time workers are not far behind at 3.7 hours.
Fiona Macdonald, director of the Centre for Future Work, noted, “The situation for full-time workers has stabilized. It’s a positive initial step, and it seems the right to disconnect is effective for them.”
However, she expressed concern, adding, “This marks the first instance where the rates of unpaid overtime for part-time workers are nearly matching those of full-time workers.”
She acknowledged that Australians were too accustomed to offering free overtime to expect rates to plummet instantly.
“The right to disconnect is less effective for part time workers and casuals because they are simply not given enough paid hours to do their jobs,” Macdonald said.
“Young people who are already on the lowest incomes are bearing the brunt of this trend towards squeezing part timers.”
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Workers aged 18 to 24 average 4.7 hours a week of unpaid overtime.
“However you look at it, Australian workers are being ripped off,” Macdonald said.
“The cost of living crisis isn’t over. Now, more than ever, workers should be paid for every single hour they work.”
