A 40 Hour Work Week In The United States Actually Lasts 47 Hours

[Johnboy60]

According to a Gallup poll, the working week in the United States is almost a full working day longer than standard. While the 40 hour week is generally accepted as “normal,” adults employed full-time have reported working an average of 47 hours each week.

This number has remained relatively steady over the past decade, with the exception of a slight dip to 44.9 hours in 2005/2006. Forty-two percent of respondents reported working a standard 40 hour week with a mere 8% working less than that. Twenty-one percent of Americans now work between 50 to 59 hours with 18% taking their weekly quota to 60 hours plus.

A 40 Hour Work Week In The United States Actually Lasts 47 Hours - Forbes

 

[HannahT]

For some reason my malware program came up on that article you linked too. That's strange.

Anyway, salaried employees will work more than the 40 hours. I know the H does. Does the article take that into account?

 

[Shane R]

I think a large part of that statistic is the failure of hourly wages to increase significantly. Thus hourly workers are prone to take on extra work, especially if it means overtime wages.

I have long wondered where this arbitrary figure of 40 hours came from. That is really not a strenuous work week in most jobs. The Europeans are, IMO, getting ridiculous with their 30 hour work weeks. Why should someone expect to support themselves working less than 1/4 of the week?

 

[Inkachu]

When you factor in unpaid lunch hours and commuting time, I don't know ANYONE who spend JUST 8 hours a day working.

 

[HannahT]

When you factor in unpaid lunch hours and commuting time, I don't know ANYONE who spend JUST 8 hours a day working.

Yeah, well that is life in the big city too. Why would people expect to get paid while they eat lunch or drive to the location?

Other than that? So true about the commute time and lunches. It's more than 8 hours.

 

[Inkachu]

Yeah, well that is life in the big city too. Why would people expect to get paid while they eat lunch or drive to the location?

Other than that? So true about the commute time and lunches. It's more than 8 hours.

I don't expect people to be paid for commute time, but a shorter workday would be nice, so people can actually spend time with their children and families and such.

I think all lunches should be paid since we are REQUIRED to take them. Otherwise, let me skip lunch breaks and go home an hour early. If you're demanding that I sit around for an hour on "lunch" then pay me for my time, since I'm not getting to choose what I do with it, the job is.

 

[HannahT]

I don't expect people to be paid for commute time, but a shorter workday would be nice, so people can actually spend time with their children and families and such.

I think all lunches should be paid since we are REQUIRED to take them. Otherwise, let me skip lunch breaks and go home an hour early. If you're demanding that I sit around for an hour on "lunch" then pay me for my time, since I'm not getting to choose what I do with it, the job is.

Sadly, its a requirement of law to take the lunch. Some get the 2 10 minute breaks, and a 20 minute lunch. Others get the hour.

I'm sure the Unions pushed for that law, because once upon a time the employers wouldn't allow any time off for breaks. They helped get loads of the HR laws we have on the books today. They did do that one good thing, but today I'm not sure what they do. (shrugs)

 

[Kalevalatar]

There are some pretty convincing arguments for a 4-day workweek: increased productivity coupled with increased happiness.

 

[Billnew]

2-20 minuute breaks is included in 8 hour day, but a lunch is not considered work time.
Commute time isn't work time either.

The article isn't talking about lunch anyway. They are talking about salary people working more then 8h or people working a second job.

heck, why not 3-12hour shifts? work three long days and have 4 off.

 

[PreachersWife2004]

My current job, I can skip lunch and leave at 4. Or I can come in early and leave early. Ultimately, they care that I am getting 40 hours in. But I am not approved for over time, which here is paid by the day. That makes for some interesting deadlines. They're really good about scheduling if I need the time, like today I'll leave at 3 so I can go watch my kid play soccer.

The job I had prior was a true 9-5 with a paid 20 minute lunch. If I wanted to take more than that, I had to make up the additional 40 minutes. She was quite anal about our schedules. I remember a Friday where I was getting ready to leave and she told me I owed her five minutes from a bathroom break I took. :o

The BEST job I had was a true 9-5 where I was salary and we got hour lunches. But...since I was salary there were plenty of weeks where I worked longer hours. Fortunately I had a boss that would let us leave early the following week. AND if we needed to be somewhere for our family we could go.