In order to be considered a full-time employee, Americans are expected to work at least 40 hours a week — but in some states, the average work week looks a lot lighter.
Job search engine Lensa ranked states according to which ones had the biggest drop in the average number of work hours per week since 2020. For some states, like Alaska and New Hampshire, drops in weekly work hours also meant a drop in weekly earnings. On the other hand, states like Nebraska and Delaware saw an increase in earnings despite their work hours decreasing in the last few years. While the U.S. is unlikely to embrace a nationwide reduction in work hours, the data points to shifts in work structure and culture — even if the shifts are legally bound to be small.
