Average weekly earnings rise to €850 in second quarter

Average weekly earnings in the second quarter of 2021 rose to €849.69, up 3.9 per cent year-on-year, according to preliminary estimates from the Central Statistics Office (CSO).

Average hourly earnings increased by 3 per cent year-on-year to €26.14, while the average weekly paid hours increased 0.9 per cent to 32.5 hours, the statistics agency said.

The job vacancy rate, which measures vacancies on the last working day of the quarter, was 1.1 per cent, up from 1 per cent at the end of the first quarter and 0.7 per cent at the end of the second quarter of 2020.

The CSO cautioned, however, that its preliminary estimates for the second quarter had been “negatively impacted” by lower than usual response rates and the difficulties faced by employers recording and sending their data.

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The impact of the Covid-19 crisis “continues to be experienced very differently” across and within economic sectors, it said.

Wage subsidies

In the accommodation and food services sector, Employee Wage Subsidy Scheme (EWSS) payments – part of the Government’s response to the crisis – represented 50.2 per cent of total earnings, while in the arts, entertainment, recreation and other service activities sector, they represented 20.4 per cent of total earnings.

But these two sectors showed the largest percentage increase in active employments compared to the first quarter, as lockdown restrictions started to ease.

In transportation and storage, EWSS payments accounted for 11.7 per cent of total earnings, while in construction, they represented 10.6 per cent.

Across all sectors, EWSS payments accounted for 4.6 per cent of total earnings in the second quarter.