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Part-time work – why it can become a trap

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Part-time work - why it can become a trap
Working less and having more time to live sounds good at first. However, many people don't realize until it's too late what a catch this working model can have.

Tempting: more time for private life

Imagine you can go home at 1 pm while the others carry on until 5 pm. Sounds great, doesn't it? That leaves you more time for what else interests you or brings you joy. For example (later) having your own family. In Austria, more than 1.2 million people work part-time, which is almost 30% of the total workforce. While normal working hours are 40 hours per week (38.5 hours in some sectors), anything less is considered part-time.

Part-time work is female

Almost half of all working women work part-time. This is rarely because of their hobbies, but mostly because of their children. For many women, family and career can only be reconciled part-time. However, many simply want to spend more time with their children.

Why “trap”?

The benefits of part-time work come at a high price. Here are the three main possible negative consequences of part-time work:
Those who work fewer hours also earn less than their full-time colleagues. Money can be tight, especially if you suddenly find yourself as a single parent.
Part-time employees are often passed over for promotion. Although there are also part-time managers, they are still an exception.
The most important argument against part-time work is the risk of poverty in old age. Those who earn less also pay less into the pension system - and get less out in retirement. For many, the pension is not enough to live on.
Young mothers and fathers are legally entitled (under certain conditions) to take part-time parental leave to look after their child. Part-time parental leave protects you from dismissal and redundancy. More information from the Chamber of Labor: https://www.arbeiterkammer.at/elternteilzeit

How much part-time work can you afford?

There is nothing wrong with working part-time for a while - or even for life. The important thing is to be aware of the possible consequences and factor them into your life planning. As a first step, you need to know how much money you need to live on, whether you can earn this amount with fewer hours and whether you have enough money left over for retirement. Find out how the reduced salary will affect your pension and whether you will still be able to stand on your own two feet with this money.
Sources:
http://statistik.at/web_de/statistiken/menschen_und_gesellschaft/arbeitsmarkt/arbeitszeit/teilzeitarbeit_teilzeitquote/index https://www2.deloitte.com/at/de/seiten/press-release/deloitte-studie-frauen-und-fuehrung
Part-time work – why it can become a trap

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