Aged care workers taking on second jobs due to cost of living pressures: what happens when the tide turns?

More Australians – particularly aged care workers – are taking on a second job, most likely due to rising cost of living pressures, according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). 

March 2023 data shows that nearly 1 million Australians (6.6% of workers) hold down multiple jobs, an increase of 2.1% over three months.

The highest rate of multiple jobs is among Health Care and Social Assistance workers, with more than 155,000 holding down multiple jobs, or 7.7% of workers in that category.

More women (7.7% of employed women) than men (5.7% of employed men) have multiple jobs.

People working multiple jobs tend to work longer hours. Those with multiple jobs worked 30.9 hours on average in their main job, and 9.6 hours in their secondary job(s), 40.5 hours per week. Single job holders usually worked 35.5 hours per week on average.

The SOURCE: Will there be an exodus of staff from aged care when cost of living pressures ease?