4 ms·

Higher earning workers in the US work more hours than lower earning workers. "Between 1979 and 2002, the frequency of long work hours increased by 14.4 percent

Higher earning workers in the US work more hours than lower earning workers. "Between 1979 and 2002, the frequency of long work hours increased by 14.4 percentage points among the top quintile of wage earners, but fell by 6.7 percentage points in the lowest quintile." There are insinuations in this thread that the reason Americans work more hours is because the working poor have to work long hours to make ends meet. However, "There was no increase at all in work hours among high-school dropouts," from 1979 to 2002. Americans working long hours is increasingly a higher income phenomenon. Which means those workers have more disposable income they could trade for shorter hours if they chose to. http://www.nber.org/digest/jul06/w11895.html http://www.nber.org/digest/jul06/w11895.html

ryandrake 10y ago
I work long hours because if I didn't there's a line of people outside the door who will.
- jackcosgrove 10y ago
  European unemployment rates are higher than the US unemployment rate. Is there really a line of people waiting to take your job? If you are in software the employment market in the US is pretty tight right now.
- IshKebab 10y ago
  That's why people invented unions and labour laws. Still amazes me that some states don't have to have a valid reason to fire you.
tastythrowaway2 10y ago
there is a correlation but that does not mean the jobs are elastic. it is not reasonable to assume that higher paid workers can simply switch jobs or even career paths simply to trade available free time for lower compensation.
- jackcosgrove 10y ago
  Yes it is reasonable. Bankers and consultants move to industry, lawyers and accountants move in house, engineers move to maintain legacy projects. People quit their careers and work for non-profits or become teachers. This happens all the time.
  - tastythrowaway2 10y ago
    My admittedly SWAG is that this happens more by chance than by choice. this is an important distinction.

ryandrake 10y ago

I work long hours because if I didn't there's a line of people outside the door who will.

jackcosgrove 10y ago
European unemployment rates are higher than the US unemployment rate. Is there really a line of people waiting to take your job? If you are in software the employment market in the US is pretty tight right now.
IshKebab 10y ago
That's why people invented unions and labour laws. Still amazes me that some states don't have to have a valid reason to fire you.

tastythrowaway2 10y ago

there is a correlation but that does not mean the jobs are elastic. it is not reasonable to assume that higher paid workers can simply switch jobs or even career paths simply to trade available free time for lower compensation.

jackcosgrove 10y ago
Yes it is reasonable. Bankers and consultants move to industry, lawyers and accountants move in house, engineers move to maintain legacy projects. People quit their careers and work for non-profits or become teachers. This happens all the time.
- tastythrowaway2 10y ago
  My admittedly SWAG is that this happens more by chance than by choice. this is an important distinction.