Over one million workers have more than one employer

In 2005, workers with several employers and/or various occupations accounted for 1,126,000 people, representing 4.8% of the salaried population in France. The situation varies between those who have a single occupation with different employers and those who have more than one occupation. Those with a single occupation are mainly women, with lower qualifications and aged over 40 years, working in the services sector. The situation of the latter group of workers is more frequently by choice; they are also predominantly older workers but are more qualified and generally have a working week exceeding the legal 35 hours per week. Workers in both these groups are characterised as ‘pluriactive’ workers.

In France, the normal practice among workers is to have one occupation and one employer, i.e. ‘monoactive’ workers. However, in recent years, the number of people working for more than one employer while having the same occupation or several different ones – so-called ‘pluriactive’ workers – has increased significantly, according to a recent publication by the National Institute for Statistics and Economic Studies (Institut National de la Statistique et des Études Économiques, INSEE). Between 2003 and 2005, the proportion of these pluriactive salaried workers increased more than the average population of salaried workers, increasing from 977,000 to 1,126,000 workers over the respective period. In 2005, some 4.8% of salaried workers thus had more than one employer, either for one or several different occupations.

The study’s findings are based on data from the Labour Force surveys 2003, 2004 and 2005, covering all persons above 15 years of age and having an occupation. The average values of these three years were calculated in order to obtain sufficiently representative results.

Pluriactive workers with one occupation

Some 70% of pluriactive workers have a single occupation and work mainly in the services sector. This group comprises mostly women, who account for 85% of workers having one occupation with several employers. In general, the level of education is lower among these workers than for monoactive workers who have a single occupation with a single employer or who are self-employed. Two thirds of pluriactive workers with one occupation are aged over 40 years while only 8% are aged under 30 years. Some 10% of them are non-nationals in comparison with 5% of the monoactive population.

Looking at the economic activities of pluriactive workers, the situation varies among men and women: the 117,450 male workers in this category have many different occupations, such as music artists, technical assistants for television or movie direction, art teachers, gardeners, or secondary school teachers, while 75% of the women in this group work in childminding, home help for older and/or disabled people, and home help for private individuals.

Insufficient wages in main job

In all, 70% of pluriactive workers with one occupation work part time in their main job, while part-time workers account for only 15% in the monoactive population. Up to 41% of pluriactive workers work part time because they could not find a full-time main job, and 38% of these workers would prefer to work more than they actually do.

In relation to pay, pluriactive workers are generally paid less for their main job than monoactive workers, regardless of whether payment is for part-time (€608 as opposed to €905 respectively) or for full-time (€1,515 compared with €1,700) employment. This pay gap remains despite a worker’s age, qualifications, gender, nationality or working time preferences.