PENNSYLVANIA, USA — The number of workers taking on multiple jobs in the U.S. is rising.
This graph from the St. Louis Federal Reserve tracks U.S. Bureau of Labor data.
In February, before the pandemic, the percentage of employed people working more than one job was 5.1%. That number took a dip in April 2020, but now it's steadily increasing again, sitting at 4.8% as of June 2022.
Although the numbers are still not back to pre-pandemic levels, the number of people working two full-time jobs is at its highest level yet, since the Bureau of Labor started tracking the data in 1994.
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Thomas Doran said he works multiple jobs, overtime at his main job and a second job, while also having an internship with reimbursements every week.
Dave Rohlfing said, "[I'm] trying to retire. Looks like I will have to at the least work part-time."
Fred Curchoe, from South Williamsport, retired last January. Now, at the age of 65, he's re-entering the workforce, taking on a job working weekday nights, packaging food for school lunch programs and Meals on Wheels.
"Every day, you pick up your mail, and it's something new. Your electric bill's gone up. You got to get your gas, your gas has gone up. You go to get groceries, something you bought like a meal product for $7, now it's $10," Curchoe said. "And it's just one thing after the other."
And he's not alone. Census Bureau data shows the number of American 65 years and older in the workforce is rising, too. In May of 2020, it was 19.5%. As of May 2022, it's 22%.
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