Labour force survey, Q2 2004

Employment figures by industry for Q2 2004 show that manufacturing was the sole contributor to the decline in permanent full-time employment. The number of temporary employees was unchanged in this particular industry. The growth in temporary employment came mainly in industries with increase in permanent employees, i.e. education, health and social work, and construction.

Labour force participation slightly down

Total labour force participation went down from 73.2 to 73.0 per cent from Q2 2003 to Q2 2004, and young men (16-24 years) and older women (67-74 years) were most strongly affected by the decline. Not since 1997 has total labour force participation been lower in Q2.

Increase in long-term unemployment

The number of unemployed people in Q2 2004 was 111 000, unchanged from Q2 2003. The unemployed constituted 4.6 per cent of the working force - 5.0 per cent for men compared to 4.2 per cent for women. Some increase occurred from Q2 2003 for men aged 16-24, while the opposite was the case regarding men aged 25-54.

The proportion of long-term unemployed increased from 19 to 27 per cent over the past year. Long-term unemployment is defined as having been out of work for six consecutive months and being out of work at the time of interview.

Unemployment still rising in Sweden

The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for Norway was 4.5 per cent in May 2004, compared with 4.3 per cent in February. Unemployment in the EU and OECD area was unchanged at 8.1 and 6.9 per cent respectively in the same period. Unemployment stayed unchanged in the USA too, at 5.6 per cent from February to May. Sweden saw unemployment grow from 6.4 to 6.7 per cent, and Finland from 9.0 to 9.1 per cent. In Germany unemployment rose from 9.6 to 9.8 per cent, while the figure for France stayed unchanged at 9.4 per cent, according to figures from the OECD and Eurostat .

Record level of under-employment

The number of under-employed, i.e. part-time employees seeking more work, went up from 86 000 to 100 000 people from Q2 2003 to Q2 2004. This represents 16.1 per cent of all part-time employees, compared to 14.2 per cent in Q2 2003. Never before has the number of under-employed been higher since the Norwegian LFS started measuring the under-employment in 1989.

The work hours of the unemployed and under-employed in Q2 2004 amounted to 135 000 man-weeks (full-time work), an increase of 5 000 from the corresponding quarter in 2003.

Overtime equivalent to 58 000 full-time jobs

20 per cent of the full-time employees worked overtime in Q2 2004, 23 per cent among males and 15 per cent among females. The amount of overtime was equivalent to 58 000 full-time jobs, or 4.4 per cent of all man-weeks by employees working full-time. The proportion of people working over-time was highest in business activities (28 per cent), wholesale trade, and oil and gas extraction (25 per cent). The rate was lowest in education, hotels and restaurants, and health and social work (10-14 per cent).

Tables:

• Table 1 Population aged 16-74 in the labour force, man-weeks worked, registered unemployed persons and persons employed by government measures. 1 000 and per cent
• Table 2 Population aged 16-74 år in the labour force, employed persons and unemployed persons by sex (LFS). 1 000 and per cent
• Table 3 Persons in the labour force and employed persons by age and sex (LFS). 1 000 and per cent
• Table 4 Population aged 16-74, employed persons by settled/usual working hours per week and unemployed persons by age and sex (LFS). 1 000
• Table 5 Persons in the labour force by age and sex. 1 000 and as per cent of all in each group
• Table 6 Employed persons by sex and settled/usual working hours pr week (LFS). 1 000
• Table 7 Population aged 16-74 by main activity, part-time employment1 and age (LFS). 1 000
• Table 8 Employed persons by major industry division. 1 000
• Table 9 Number of man-hours worked per week 1, by industry division (LFS). 1 000
• Table 10 Employed persons,total, and employed persons at work by status and sex. Number of man-weeks worked and actual working hours per week (LFS)
• Table 11 Employed persons and absence from work during the whole survey week by reason for absence and sex. 1 000 and per cent
• Table 12 Employees with temporary jobs, by major industry division (LFS). 1 000 and as per cent of all employees
• Table 13 Unemployed persons by sex and age (LFS). 1000 and per cent
• Table 14 Unemployed persons by duration of job search (LFS). 1000 and per cent
• Table 15 Unemployed persons by main activity (LFS). 1 000
• Table 16 Unemployed and underemployed persons, by sex and desired working hours per week. Number of man-weeks (of 37,5 hours) supplied (LFS). 1 000
• Table 17 Employment and unemployment for persons aged 16-74 years, seasonally adjusted, three-months moving average. Absolute figures in 1 000 and unemployed persons in per cent of the labour force.
• Table 18 Persons in the labour force by sex and region (LFS). 1 000 and in per cent of total
• Table 19 Employed persons by sex and region (LFS). 1 000
• Table 20 Employed persons by sex and regions (LFS) as per cent of all inn each group
• Table 21 Employed persons, by some major industry division and region (LFS). 1997-2003. 1 000