Record number of Germans in second jobs

Photo: DPA

A record number of Germans are taking on second jobs with women the worst affected, according to government figures.

Published: 12 Aug 2013 14:32 CET

A record number of Germans are taking on second jobs, with women the worst affected, according to government figures.

Latest figures show 2.66 million Germans are now working part time alongside their normal jobs, the national employment agency said on Monday.

The number of people taking on second jobs has doubled in less than ten years to 9.1 percent of workers, according to data from the last quarter of 2012.

There has been no sudden jump in the number of people with two jobs, rather, it is a long-term trend according to the employment agency.

A spokeswoman said: "There are seasonal variations, but in essence the number has been increasing slowly and continuously."

Women are the worst affected with 1.5 million working a second job compared to 1.1 million men.

Analysts blamed the rise on low wages whereas others said consumerism was to blame.

MP for left wing party Die Linke, Sabine Zimmermann said people were taking on the extra work out of “pure financial need rather than voluntary”, the Welt newspaper reported.

dpa/The Local/tsb