Issues

When one job is not enough

U.S. Department of Labor

Bureau of Labor Statistics

Summary 00–15 August 2000

in Labor Statistics

More than 8–1/2 million workers held two or

more jobs in May 1997. Four out of every ten

did so to meet regular household expenses or

to pay off debts. Other common reasons for

working more than one job included enjoying

the work on the second job (14.5 percent),

wanting to save for the future (8.7 percent),

wanting to get experience or build up a business (7.7 percent), and wanting some extra

money to buy something special (7.9 percent).

These results were quite similar to those that

were obtained in May 1991, the last time that

data on the reasons for working more than one

job were collected.1 (See table and chart.)

The reasons for multiple jobholding varied noticeably among demographic groups.

For example, the proportion working more

than one job to pay off debts was highest

among those aged 16 to 24 (18.2 percent) and

then declined with age to a low of 2.1 percent

for those 65 and older. Young workers (aged

16 to 24) also were the most likely to hold an

extra job in order to get money to buy something special. The group aged 55 and older

had the greatest percentage of workers who

reported that they worked more than one job

because they enjoyed the work on the second

job (27 percent). These workers were almost

twice as likely as adults aged 25 to 54, and

nearly 6 times as likely as teenagers, to moonlight for this reason. The proportion of multiple jobholders who worked more than one

job to pay regular household expenses was

about 10 percentage points lower for older

workers than for persons aged 25 to 54. Nevertheless, nearly a fourth of multiple jobholders aged 55 and older gave this as the reason

for working more than one job.

In general, men and women worked more

than one job for the same reasons. The sharpest disparities between the sexes occurred

among older workers. A large proportion of

men aged 55 and older (30.8 percent), worked

more than one job because they enjoyed the

work on the second job; this compares with

21.8 percent of older women. Older women,

on the other hand, were most likely to moonlight in order to meet regular household expenses or to pay off debts—36.3 percent, versus 22.2 percent for older men.

For women who maintained families, the

overwhelming reason for working multiple jobs

was to meet regular expenses or to pay off debts

(64.5 percent); this compares with 49.4 percent of men who maintained families.

A greater percentage of blacks (53.2 percent) and of Hispanics (49.0 percent) than of

whites (39.5 percent) also reported that they

worked more than one job to meet regular

household expenses or to pay off debts. About

15 percent of whites were multiple jobholders

because they enjoyed the work on the second

job; this was slightly higher than the proportion among blacks and triple the proportion

among Hispanics.

As the current economic expansion has continued past May 1997, the number of multiple

jobholders has edged down. As mentioned

above, in May 1997 and in May 1991, about

two-fifths of multiple jobholders worked more

than one job in order to meet regular household expenses or to pay off debts. It may be

that the number of multiple jobholders has

edged down during the period since May 1997

because the continuing strength in the economy

has enabled them to meet regular household

expenses or pay off debts without having to

work more than one job.

For additional information on reasons for

multiple jobholding, contact Jennifer Martel,

Office of Employment and Unemployment Statistics, Bureau of Labor Statistics, Washington, DC 20212. Telephone: (202) 691-6378.

e-mail address: Martel_J@bls.gov.

Information in this report will be made

available to sensory impaired individuals upon

request. Voice phone: (202) 691-5200; Federal Relay Service: 1-800-877-8339.

This material is in the public domain and,

with appropriate credit, may be reproduced

without permission.

1

 Data for 1991 were published in “Multiple

Jobholding Unchanged in May 1991,” USDL 91-

547, October 28, 1991.

Reasons for working more than one job, May 1997

Enjoys work on

second job

Help friend or relative Get experience 

or build up business

Buy something special

Meet regular ho

expenses

Other reasons

Pay off debts

Save for the future

30.9 %

10.5 %

8.7 %

16.6 %

14.5 %

7.9 %

3.2 % 7.7 %

30.9 %
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Multiple jobholders by age, race, Hispanic origin, sex, marital status, and reason for working at more than one job, May 1997

Percent distribution by reason

Total

(thousands)

To meet

regular

household

expenses

Total

To pay

off debts

To save

for the

future

To get

experience

or build

up

a business

To help

out a

friend or

relative

To get

extra

money to

buy

something

special

Enjoys

the work

on the

second

job

Characteristic Other

reasons

Total, 16 years and older .................................. 8,751 100.0 30.9 10.5 8.7 7.7 3.2 7.9 14.5 16.6

16 to 24 years ............................................ 1,274 100.0 24.7 18.2 11.4 5.2 2.3 13.0 6.5 18.5

25 to 34 years ............................................ 2,054 100.0 34.7 14.2 8.3 9.2 2.4 7.5 10.4 13.4

35 to 44 years ............................................ 2,607 100.0 32.7 8.1 9.5 8.5 3.7 6.8 15.4 15.3

45 to 54 years ............................................ 1,986 100.0 31.5 7.6 7.2 8.0 3.8 5.8 17.3 18.8

55 years and older ..................................... 829 100.0 23.6 4.6 6.1 5.0 3.8 9.4 27.0 20.6

Men, 16 years and older ................................... 4,720 100.0 29.3 10.4 10.1 8.4 2.8 7.4 15.9 15.8

16 to 24 years ............................................ 647 100.0 25.3 17.7 13.2 6.6 3.5 13.5 7.4 12.7

25 to 34 years ............................................ 1,143 100.0 33.6 16.2 9.8 7.9 1.9 5.0 11.5 14.1

35 to 44 years ............................................ 1,419 100.0 32.6 7.3 11.0 9.3 2.2 6.8 16.0 14.8

45 to 54 years ............................................ 1,033 100.0 27.4 6.9 9.3 9.1 3.7 6.5 19.0 18.1

55 years and older ..................................... 478 100.0 19.1 3.1 5.7 7.6 3.8 8.5 30.8 21.6

Women, 16 years and older .............................. 4,031 100.0 32.7 10.7 7.0 7.0 3.7 8.5 12.8 17.6

16 to 24 years ............................................ 628 100.0 24.1 18.8 9.6 3.9 1.1 12.5 5.6 24.3

25 to 34 years ............................................ 912 100.0 36.0 11.6 6.3 10.8 3.0 10.7 9.1 12.4

35 to 44 years ............................................ 1,188 100.0 33.0 9.0 7.8 7.4 5.4 6.8 14.7 15.9

45 to 54 years ............................................ 953 100.0 35.9 8.3 4.9 6.8 4.0 5.1 15.6 19.5

55 years and older ..................................... 351 100.0 29.6 6.7 6.7 1.5 3.8 10.7 21.8 19.3

White ................................................................ 7,566 100.0 29.7 9.8 8.8 8.0 3.5 8.0 15.2 17.0

Black ................................................................ 874 100.0 39.0 14.2 7.9 5.6 1.4 6.9 11.4 13.8

Hispanic origin .................................................. 557 100.0 39.5 9.5 9.7 5.4 3.0 11.2 4.6 17.0

Men: .................................................................

Single ......................................................... 1,238 100.0 24.4 15.6 11.1 8.0 2.4 10.1 10.3 18.0

Married, spouse present ............................ 2,910 100.0 31.2 8.1 10.1 8.3 3.0 6.3 19.2 13.9

Widowed, divorced, or separated ............... 573 100.0 30.6 10.5 7.8 9.8 2.8 7.1 11.0 20.3

Women: ............................................................

Single ......................................................... 1,145 100.0 28.7 15.6 9.4 3.5 2.5 12.9 9.0 18.3

Married, spouse present ............................ 1,941 100.0 28.8 7.2 6.5 9.9 4.1 7.4 16.5 19.6

Widowed, divorced, or separated ............... 946 100.0 45.4 12.2 4.9 5.1 4.4 5.4 9.9 12.8

Women who maintain families .......................... 577 100.0 52.6 11.9 5.0 1.6 2.0 6.1 8.3 12.4

 NOTE: Data on the number of multiple jobholders differ from the regularly published monthly data because of differences in the estimation procedures used to produce

the data. Detail may not sum to 100 percent due to rounding. Detail for race and Hispanic-origin groups will not sum to totals because data for the “other races” group

are not presented and Hispanics are included in both the white and black population groups.