Hours Worked in Europe and the US: New Data, New Answers

47 Pages Posted: 6 Sep 2016

See all articles by Alexander Bick

Alexander Bick

Federal Reserve Banks - Research Division

Bettina Brüggemann

McMaster University

Nicola Fuchs-Schündeln

Goethe University Frankfurt

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Abstract

We use national labor force surveys from 1983 through 2011 to construct hours worked per person on the aggregate level and for different demographic groups for 18 European countries and the US. We find that Europeans work 19% fewer hours than US citizens. Differences in weeks worked and in the educational composition each account for one third to one half of this gap. Lower hours per person than in the US are in addition driven by lower weekly hours worked in Scandinavia and Western Europe, but by lower employment rates in Eastern and Southern Europe.

Keywords: labor supply, employment, hours worked, Europe-US hours gap, demographic structure

JEL Classification: E24, J21, J22

Suggested Citation

Bick, Alexander and Brüggemann, Bettina and Fuchs-Schündeln, Nicola, Hours Worked in Europe and the US: New Data, New Answers. IZA Discussion Paper No. 10179, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2834229 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2834229

Alexander Bick (Contact Author)

Federal Reserve Banks - Research Division ( email )

P.O. Box 442
St. Louis, MO 63166-0442
United States

Bettina Brüggemann

McMaster University ( email )

Hamilton
Canada

Nicola Fuchs-Schündeln

Goethe University Frankfurt ( email )

Grueneburgplatz 1
Frankfurt am Main, 60323
Germany

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