Over one third of jobholders are regularly working overtime

In 2004 over 37 percent of employees in the Netherlands were regularly working overtime, as against 32 percent in 2002. Working overtime is most frequent among the highly-educated. The majority of highly-educated employees are not getting paid for overtime work.

Overtime work increased in recent years

More than 37 percent of employees had to work overtime on a regular basis in 2004. Ten percent were compensated in equivalent time off and 14 percent received financial compensation. The remaining 14 percent were not compensated at all. Since 2002, when 32 percent of employees had to do overtime on a regular basis, the proportion has steadily increased. This trend is in concert with the prevailing downturn on the labour market. Paid overtime work did not increase. Overtime was compensated in time off or not compensated at all.

Overtime work by kind of compensation, 2000-2004

Overtime work most frequent among 25 to 44 year-olds

Overtime is relatively uncommon among young people. Just over a quarter claim to work extra hours on a regular basis. Working extra hours is most common among employees in the age category 25 – 44; nearly four in ten were frequently working extra hours. Doing overtime is less common among employees over the age of 55.Highly-educated regularly do unpaid overtime
Highly-educated employees are much more often working overtime than secondary and lower educated employees. Nearly half of highly-educated jobholders regularly did overtime in 2003. Most of the lower and secondary educated jobholders receive financial compensation for overtime work. Financial compensation is rare among highly-educated employees. Almost two-thirds of hours worked in overtime are not compensated in any way.

Overtime work by education level and kind of compensation, 2003

Most unpaid overtime work in sector education

Close to six in ten employees in education indicated that they were regularly working extra hours. Overtime hours in the sector education are usually not compensated in any way. In the sectors business services and financial institutions unpaid overtime work is also relatively common. In the sectors transport, storage and communication and agriculture, overtime hours are usually paid out. In construction and health care and welfare overtime work is relatively exceptional; only three in ten persons were regularly working in excess of normal working hours.

Overtime work by sector and kind of compensation, 2003

Ingrid Beckers and Clemens Siermann

Source: Sociaal-economische trends, 2005-III