Despite the claims of certain pundits, by advanced world standards, Americans work hard. The issue of how much effort Americans supply to the labor market has been elevated by recent reports regarding labor force participation. Last month, U.S. labor force participation fell to its lowest level since October nineteen seventy seven.
Some have used this data point to indicate that Americans are growing lazier, but labor force participation has been falling in large measure because a growing number of Baby Boomers are finally retiring. According to CNNMoney, Americans work an average of thirty four point four hours per week, longer than their counterparts in other large economies. In Australia, workers toil thirty two hours per week and in Norway about twenty seven.
These tallies include part time workers. Adults employed full time in the U.S. work an average of forty seven hours per week, which equates to nearly six days a week according to Gallup. That’s about an hour and a half more than they reported a decade ago. And more than four in ten workers logs more than fifty hours on the job per week. Americans also receive fewer vacation days than their peers elsewhere. Now go out and enjoy your weekend. You’ve earned it.
