Therefore an effective redistribution of work within the economy could reduce the unemployment rate, while releasing the burden from many overworked employees. Some measures that have been suggested include a legislated limit the amount of hours for the working week, such as is being trailed in France with the 35-hour week. A reduction in the working week from 40 to 35 hours, with no reduction in income will translate to a 14% nominal pay increase, so other measures, such as restraint when wage bargaining must also be put in place. Experimentation with alternative working arrangements, such as a four-day week, or a six-hour day may also reduce working times for many workers. [Stilwell 200:187] Allowing workers to opt for a reduction in working hours rather than wage increases for corresponding productivity increases, and allowing workers to elect to take longer periods of leave without pay with income spread evenly over the whole period. [Stilwell 2000:187] Also, a supplementary payroll tax, applying to overtime worked by employees may prove a powerful disincentive to employers prone to utilising overtime from employees.

The increase in work hours also causes a large societal cost for those juggling work and family. An indication of the large number of families having difficulty juggling the two responsibilities may be gauged through statistics of the working hours of married females. (Although this is by no means a highly accurate representation, rather it is an indication.) The number of married females working more than 40 hours has increased markedly over the last twenty years. Associated with this movement, has been a crisis in the childcare

Some topics in this essay:
ABS Appendix, Policy Options, OECD ACTU, Force Survey, According OECD, Bureau Statistics, , South Koreans, cent increase, actu 2002, Wire July, rich poor, Stilwell Frank, australian bureau statistics, average weekly, labour force, married females, address issue, overtime employees, australian bureau, allowing workers, little government action,