(Reuters) – The percentage of Americans who have more than one job to make ends meet has increased in the past two decades, and second job wages make up a significant portion of the income of the United States, according to a paper published by the US Workers from the commercial department on Wednesday.
An estimated 7.8% of U.S. workers had more than one job in the first quarter of 2018, up from 6.8% in 1996, according to new data from the Census Bureau, which provides more detailed analysis of multiple jobholders than previously available. The results are based on data from 18 countries.
Income from workers’ second jobs averages 28% of their total income, which shows workers are likely to depend on that pay, researchers said.
In general, women were more likely to have multiple jobs than men. As of 2018, 9.1% of women held multiple positions, compared to 6.6% of men. In 2019, the office estimated that more than 13 million U.S. workers had more than one employer.
They also found that holding multiple jobs occurred at all income levels, but was more common among low-wage workers. Those who juggled more than one profession earned less on average than those who only had one employer.
People who work in healthcare and hospitality have been more vulnerable to more than one job than people who work in other industries
The data could give further impetus to President Joe Biden and his fellow Democrats’ efforts to raise the minimum wage from currently $ 7.25 to $ 15 an hour by 2025.
The impartial budget bureau of Congress has estimated that an increase in the minimum wage this year would lift 900,000 people out of poverty but would also cut employment by 1.4 million jobs.
The Census Bureau researchers looked at the number of people who held more than one job in a quarter and held at least one job for the entire three months.
(Reporting by Jonnelle Marte and Lucia Mutikanid; editing by Jonathan Oatis)
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