U.S. Employees Are Working Less Than Before 💼

What We're Showing

The average weekly hours worked by all private employees in the U.S.

Data comes from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) via the Federal Reserve and is updated as of Feb. 7, 2025.

Average weekly hours represent the total hours worked by employees for which pay was received, accounting for factors like unpaid absenteeism, turnover, and part-time work, and may differ from scheduled hours.

Average Weekly Hours Worked Are On the Decline

The average number of weekly hours worked in the U.S. in 2025 has dropped to levels seen during the 2020 pandemic, signaling potential weakness in labor demand.

 This decline follows a steady decrease from a peak in 2021.

The BLS attributes this decline to reductions in the retail trade and leisure and hospitality industries, which have faced weaker demand, influenced by shifting consumer behavior post-pandemic, including a decline in in-person shopping and dining.

Despite employment gains since the pandemic low, both sectors remain below or barely above pre-2020 employment levels, signaling ongoing weakness.

The number of hours worked typically declines during recessions, as seen in both the Great Recession (2008–2009) and the COVID-19 recession (2020). However, the decline during the pandemic was more abrupt and short-lived.