80 Percent of Americans Work 'After Hours,' Equaling an Extra Day of Work Per Week: Has Recession Forced Fewer to Work More?

by Fef Posted 2012/07/02 21:00:00

Related Topics: Bankruptcy, Working, Unemployment, Work, American, 2012, Recession, wordpress, Hell, Recovery, Americans, Times, Employees, Slow, Employee

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	Yes	218 votes	85%
	No	39 votes	15%

The recession and slow recovery have kept unemployment above 8 percent. Employers refuse to hire new employees in times of uncertainty. Many employers have laid off or reduced their workforce to avoid bankruptcy during the recession. Has this led to fewer employees working harder and longer hours?

Techcrunch reporter Sarah Perez reveals how 80% of the workforce works longer hours equaling an extra day of work per week. Do you think the recession has forced fewer employees to work more hours?

+14

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Semper Fi 2012/07/03 13:31:47

Yes

+6
Since our dramatic cut backs a few years ago, I work 10-12 hour days and about every other weekend. Of course the city, county, state and Feds could care less as they pile even more regulation, fees, and fines on top of small businesses.
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More polls by Fef

Skeptikat to wilsonmja 2012/07/03 04:51:27
wilsonmja to Skeptikat 2012/07/03 04:54:24

+1
Good advice. Good advice indeed.

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Skeptikat to wilsonmja 2012/07/03 05:01:19
wilsonmja to Skeptikat 2012/07/03 08:46:28

No. You definitely did not. I'm not naive to the burnout factor. I'm a transportation manager and I spend every day putting together a puzzle basically. It's rewarding, never boring and often stressful. But there is something I like about a stressful job that makes me feel fulfilled at the end of the day. It's like when you workout it's really hard and painfull during, but you feel like a million bucks afterward. That's kind of how I see my job.

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debhead 2012/07/03 03:26:38

Yes

+1
My brother works for a major tire company and spends many hours and many days fighting to get the company employees more money and better benefits. Its a losing battle when the company would rather shut its doors than pay their people what they're worth. They work harder and longer with less pay. I don't see any hope for future improvements either. Those days of pay being equal to the work done are over. I don't care whose put in office for President that dream will never happen again.

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Skeptikat to debhead 2012/07/03 04:23:24
debhead to Skeptikat 2012/07/06 12:43:18

I liked your rebutal and was impressed by your actions. You know, though, that is not the norm. Most companies find people "expendable" because they just can't afford them. You are very fortunate your company recognized you as a valued asset. Cudos to you my friend!

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Skeptikat to debhead 2012/07/06 12:58:44
debhead to Skeptikat 2012/07/14 17:28:45

+1
Very smart! You pay attention so you'll go far! My brother is going through arbitration right now at Cooper Tire and Rubber Co. They had a mess the first part of the year renewing their contract. My dad worked there for 44 years! Now my brother is fighting the good fight for the employees. I'm so proud of him!

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Skeptikat to debhead 2012/07/03 04:53:17
debhead to Skeptikat 2012/07/06 12:49:00

+1
Thank you! I recognize a good person in you. I'm so glad your appreciated at your workplace. Says a lot about you and your company.

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Doreen 2012/07/03 03:25:19

Yes

I have spoken to people who are forced to do longer hours and no extra pay. I know someone who has a job with the state and somehow they screwed him over so that he has to work anywhere from 12 hours a day to 18 hours a day 365. They do not have to grant him vacation ( and they don't ). He is not payed overtime either. He even fought this in court and lost.

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bman~AVA 2012/07/03 02:51:23

No

+1
Honestly I don't have a clue. I do know that when I'm working regular then I've averaged 70+ hours a week. I once put in an 82 hour 5 day week several years back.

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strawberry to bman~AVA 2012/07/03 04:02:14

+1
I remember people working extra hours getting paid over time. This was very common.

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bman~AVA to strawberry 2012/07/03 04:11:27

+1
Oh yes. I can sure remember those days as well

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fisherman 2012/07/03 02:44:02

Yes

+1
fewer workers , longer hours 12 hour work days with no overtime pay due to the split week system , no raises and no one in this economy is gonna ask for one , workers doing jobs they aint qualified for a lot less pay ...who could ask for anything more ?

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Calm down! 2012/07/03 02:36:27

Yes

+1
People are working harder than ever before for less! That's why I'm voting for Romney this time around!

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strawberry to Calm down! 2012/07/03 04:09:03

+1
Americans always worked long hard hours, nothing new. Many Americans enjoyed making extra income working over time or having two jobs. Some Americans had to work two jobs just to make it. Salaries normally increase over time, just as minimum wages. In fact there are many jobs that should already be obsolete. Americans forget how many jobs hi technology has taken away.

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~HopelessRomanticM17~ 2012/07/03 02:05:45

Yes

+2
My dad has been working an hour later every day all summer.

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Skeptikat to ~Hopele... 2012/07/03 04:26:03
~Hopele... to Skeptikat 2012/07/03 05:19:36

No, I'm serious...

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FordCrews 2012/07/03 00:52:52

Yes

+2
I just wish the democrats would stop causing these depressions, when will they figure out that everyone doesn't need to own a home, taxing and spending doesn't work, and that having the highest corporate tax rates in the world isn't good.

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wilsonmja to FordCrews 2012/07/03 03:59:32

http://www.nytimes.com/imagep...

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strawberry to FordCrews 2012/07/03 04:21:23

The United States has gone through depressions and recessions through many eras, many different Presidential administrations.

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Justin Teufel Hunden 2012/07/03 00:42:38

No

More freeloaders have been created/born. Obummer approves your food stamps! More overtime = more tax payment. I'm all for working for a living...but not for 12 hr refinery shift work. Seems that 20 plus hrs of overtime is working for pennies when the body and mind need rest. Ever notice people of a few other countries seem more laid back etc? Not all, but there are some. ...yeah yeah 'the grass is greener...'

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strawberry to Justin ... 2012/07/03 04:24:27

Welfare and food stamps did not start under Obama's administration. The Welfare system was set up long ago for those really in need, but freeloaders took advantage.

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Justin ... to strawberry 2012/07/03 08:26:43 (edited)

I'm very well aware of that. Lol I live in South Texas! "but the freeloaders took advantage" is exactly what I'm referring to. Snowball Effect! They're getting more. I.E. unemployment pay extended etc

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EDWARD G 2012/07/03 00:31:50

Yes

+4
I have never worked harder for less money

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strawberry to EDWARD G 2012/07/03 04:34:04 (edited)

This did not only start in the 21st Century, not even in the 20th Century. There were so many Americans who worked very hard, long hours, not payed what they were worth. That is what greedy Corporate Capitalism does. You think it is bad for you, just vote for Mitt Romney, see how much worse it gets. Romney is all for corporate wealth. What do you think President Obama has been trying to change.?

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strawberry to strawberry 2012/07/03 04:49:45

"What is Socialism"
"Socialism is an economic system characterized by public ownership and centralized by planning of all major industries (manufacturing, services, transportation, the media and medical facilities. Under Capitalism, these giant enterprises dominate the economy but are privately owned and operated for the purpose of generating wealth for their owners by extracting it from working people who are paid only a small fraction of what their labor produced. Socialism turns this around so that the class that produces the wealth can collectively decide how it will be used for the benefit of all."
http://www.redletterpress.org...

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Justin ... to strawberry 2012/07/03 08:30:04

Read between the lines. You seem like a recruiter/car saleswoman.

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strawberry to Justin ... 2012/07/03 22:00:13

No, just an educator. Did you bother to read the meanings above.? Be honest.? What does Capitalism mean to you.? What does Socialism mean to you.?

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Justin ... to strawberry 2012/07/05 01:56:22 (edited)

I've been around the world more than once serving our country. Also have BS/BM. Who are you to wave your finger? Perhaps experience and open eyes tie together and form a true education? Lol 'what is capitalism and socialism'.?. Wow. Go cut and paste somewhere else.

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strawberry to EDWARD G 2012/07/03 04:39:58 (edited)

"What Is Capitalism"
"An economic system which all or most of the means of production and distribution, as land, factories, communication, and transportation systems, are privately owned and operated in a relatively competitive environment through the investment of capital to produce profits: it has been characterized by a tendency toward the concentration of wealth, the growth of large corporations, etc. that has led to economic inequality which has been dealt with usually by increased government action and control."

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strawberry to EDWARD G 2012/07/03 04:56:52

Corporations do not pay fair share to employees for the amount of production laborers produce for corporations. Corporations steal extra profits from laborers. Corporations then pass inflated prices onto consumers. This is what Mitt Romney is about.

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John Boy to EDWARD G 2012/07/03 23:39:08 (edited)

+1
Definately the truth !!! I have never worked so hard and earn less than half of what I did, when the economy was strong. To the anti Romney posters, we are talking now, not 10 years ago or the Bush terms or Romney. We are talking about Obamas complete destruction of our way of life, now !!!

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L1 2012/07/02 23:26:55

Yes

+1
Of course. It increases productivity to have fewer workers do more work ( unaccounted for sometimes). At least that is what my manager says..

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Dogzebra 2012/07/02 22:52:24

Yes

+2
Happens all of the time in a hospital setting, my wife is always being called in because the hospital only seems to be able to fully staff management positions.

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TruBluTopaz 2012/07/02 22:45:52

Yes

+1
Despite working a full school day and then some, I end up going in most weekends to grade or prepare work.

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Heisenberg 2012/07/02 22:45:03

Yes

+3

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