Characterisation of Workers with Full-Time and Part-Time Work Schedules: The Labour Market in Penang, Malaysia

An individual's decision regarding labour supply entails the choice to work or not to work, followed by the choice of employment status or work schedule, i.e., full-time versus parttime. This study aims to (i) compare the socio-demographic, household and work-related characteristics of full-time and part-time workers, (ii) determine if employment status is related to these characteristics and (iii) compare the incidence of full-time employment (i.e., the proportion of workers who work full-time) among sub-groups of workers. The study is based on a survey involving 527 workers. The convenience sampling method was used and the sample was stratified to reflect the ethnic and gender composition of Penang's population. The results show that the characteristics of full-time and part-time workers differ and that employment status is related to age, gender, marital status, education level, schooling status, household income, number of children, presence of adult dependents, occupation and the employment sector. The proportion of full-time workers is lower among individuals with the following characteristics: non-prime age, women, singles, less educated, still schooling, low household income, more children, no adult dependents, engaged in sales/service or elementary occupations and the private sector. Policy implications are discussed in terms of encouraging full-time employment in these groups.