Hours Actually Worked

Hours actually worked is the time spent in a job for the performance of activities that contribute to the production of goods and/or services during a specified short or long reference period.

Hours actually worked is the time spent in a job for the performance of activities that contribute to the production of goods and/or services during a specified short or long reference period. Hours actually worked applies to all types of jobs (within and beyond the SNA production boundary) and is not linked to administrative or legal concepts.

Hours actually worked measured within the SNA production boundary includes time spent directly on, and in relation to, productive activities; down time; and resting time.

• (a) “Direct hours” is the time spent carrying out the tasks and duties of a job. This may be performed in any location (economic territory, establishment, on the street, at home) and during overtime periods or other periods not dedicated to work (such as lunch breaks or while commuting).
• (b) “Related hours” is the time spent maintaining, facilitating or enhancing productive activities and should comprise activities such as:
  • cleaning, repairing, preparing, designing, administering or maintaining tools, instruments, processes, procedures or the work location itself; changing time (to put on work clothes); decontamination or washing up time;
  • (ii) purchasing or transporting goods or basic materials to/from the market or source;
  • (iii) waiting for business, customers or patients, as part of working-time arrangements and/or that are explicitly paid for;
  • (iv) on-call duty, whether specified as paid or unpaid, that may occur at the work location (such as health and other essential services) or away from it (for example from home). In the latter case, it is included in hours actually worked depending on the degree to which persons’ activities and movements are restricted. From the moment when called back for duty, the time spent is considered as direct hours of work;
  • (v) travelling between work locations, to reach field projects, fishing areas, assignments, conferences or to meet clients or customers (such as door-to-door vending and itinerant activities);
  • (vi) training and skills enhancement required by the job or for another job in the same economic unit, at or away from the work location. In a paid-employment job this may be given by the employer or provided by other units.
• (c) “Down time”, as distinct from “direct” and “related hours”, is time when a person in a job cannot work due to machinery or process breakdown, accident, lack of supplies or power or Internet access, etc., but continues to be available for work. This time is unavoidable or inherent to the job and involves temporary interruptions of a technical, material or economic nature.
• (d) “Resting time” is time spent in short periods of rest, relief or refreshment, including tea, coffee or prayer breaks, generally practised by custom or contract according to established norms and/or national circumstances.

Hours actually worked measured within the SNA production boundary excludes time not worked during activities such as:

• (a) Annual leave, public holidays, sick leave, parental leave or maternity/paternity leave, other leave for personal or family reasons or civic duty. This time not worked is part of absence from work hours (defined in paragraph 17);
• (b) Commuting time between work and home when no productive activity for the job is performed; for paid employment, even when paid by the employer;
• (c) Time spent in educational activities distinct from the activities covered in paragraph 11. (2) (b) (vi); for paid employment, even when authorized, paid or provided by the employer;
  • (d) Longer breaks distinguished from short resting time when no productive activity is performed (such as meal breaks or natural repose during long trips); for paid employment, even when paid by the employer.

Hours actually worked measured beyond the SNA production boundary includes time spent directly on, and in relation to, productive activities as defined in paragraph 5.(2); down time; and short resting time. 

• (a) “Direct hours” is the time spent carrying out the tasks and duties of the job, which may include: preparing meals, care for members of the household; cleaning and maintaining the house, grounds, clothes and household equipment; purchasing and transporting goods for the household, transporting household members, household accounting and management.
• (b) “Related hours” is the time spent maintaining, facilitating or enhancing productive activities, and comprises activities such as travelling to meet persons, waiting for persons in one’s care, or training required for the job;
• (c) “Down time” is less relevant for a job beyond the SNA boundary because substitution of one household task for another can be more immediate.
• (d) “Resting time” is time spent in short periods of rest, relief or refreshment, including tea, coffee or prayer breaks.

Hours actually worked measured beyond the SNA production boundary excludes time not worked during activities such as civic duty and educational activities other than the training covered in paragraph 11. (4) (b).

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Resolution I. Resolution concerning the measurement of working time, the 18th ICLS