Who are the overworked Americans?

American men are working about 42 or 43 hours per week for pay, while American women are working about 36 or 37 hours per week on the job. American women, like American men, have among the longest work weeks in the nine countries. Regardless of the historical trajectory in working hours, scholars need to understand how Americans feel about their current work commitments in light of their obligations and responsibilities outside the workplace. In the context of the dramatic social shifts in Americans’ private lives, the lack of change in the structure of work and the rise of highly demanding jobs, especially at the upper levels of the occupational hierarchy, present dilemmas and problems for many workers. The rise of dual-earner and single-parent families, both of which rely on employed women, has reduced the amount of unpaid familial support at home and thus increased the pressure on many American workers.