• Korean Journal of Labor Studies
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.325-350
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• 2011

This article examines part-time work in the UK in terms of its characteristics and institutional contexts. Part-time jobs developed early due to the UK's liberal market institution and low level of public support for female employment. A large proportion of the employed women (about 40 percent) work part-time. Part-time work has been largely for married women. The expansion of part-time work in the UK was primarily market-driven and led by employers. Married women have worked part-time work primarily to accommodate their family responsibilities. There have been significant changes in labor market regulation in the UK since 1997. The Labor government legislated the Part-time Workers Regluations in 2000 to protect part-time workers. The government has also changed and newly implemented various laws and policies for work-life balance. There has been a real progress in improving the quality of part-time work overall. Nevertheless, we have not seen qualitatively different results in terms of female employment patterns and the qualify of part-time work so far. It has been largely constrained by the government's liberal orienation and voluntarism of labor relations in the UK.