Definition: Full-time equivalent units

Category: Structural business statistics

Full-time equivalent units are used in annual business statistics to improve the comparability of measures of employment. Figures for the number of persons working less than the standard working time of a full-year full-time worker, should be converted into full time equivalents, with regard to the working time of a full-time full-year employee in the unit. 

Included in this category are people working less than a standard working day, less than the standard number of working days in the week, or less than the standard number of weeks/months in the year. 

The conversion should be carried out on the basis of the number of hours, days, weeks or months worked.