A2881 July 9, 1941 /• ^ { JAM 12 1942 6* .MONTHLY REPORT OF UNEMPIOYKENT *5uecial Memorandum No. 1 f-/brafsV Longer Hours of Work in Relation to the Volume of Employment and Unemployment, April 1940—April 1941 The average length of the work week for all employed persons increased "by about 4 hours, or 10 percent, from April 1940 to April 1941, according to our monthly He-port of Unemployment. Partly for this reason, the possibility of a general shortage of labor has been pushed farther into the background. On the other hand, longer hours of work for the employed have kept unemployment from decreasing as rapidly as production mounted. Hours of Work. April 1940 and April 1941 of work for all employed persons rose from 41,6 per week to 45.8 (see attached table). The average amount of increase was greatest in rural counties (8.1 hours), intermediate in urban counties (3.4 hours), and lowest in the five largest metropolitan centers week in 1941 than in 1940 (hence, a more "open" season in agriculture) and (2) a somewhat smaller supply of agricultural labor in 1941. The trend toward longer hours of work could readily take place because there are no legal restrictions on a work week of more than 40 hours in agriculture, l/ Rural counties are those having a population of less than 45,000; urban counties are those havijng. .population of 45,000 or more. Between April 1940 and April 1941 average (mean) hours (1.0 hour), —/ The large increase in working hours in rural counties is believed to be due to the following factors: (l) A later enumeration A2881 - 2 - Such increases in average hours as occurred in urban and metropolitan areas were due chiefly to heightened industrial acti¬ vity, particularly in defense lines. The proportion of persons working less than 40 hours per week declined considerably, while most of the increase was registered in the proportion of persons working 40-49 hours. This fact suggests a rise not only in the number of persons working exactly 40 hours per week, as provided for in interstate industries by the Wage-Hour law, but also in the number working on an overtime basis of more than 40 hours per week. Employment and Hours of Work The increase in the length of the work week during the last year was accompanied by a rise in total employment of about 1.6 million persons. Each of these factors has contributed toward a fuller utilization of the labor force and hence greater production. From the continuing data available in the Monthly Report of Unemployment it is possible to trace the changes in employment and hours of work not only over the period of a year, but also on a month-to-month basis for the interim. The results indicate that, in general, hours of work increased as employment rose and decreased as employment fell. A2S81 - 3 - In the chart attached to this memorandum, a comparison \ is made for the period Apr''l 1940—April 1941 of the total number of workers employed each month, with the number employed less than 40 hoau-s per week, and 40 or more hours per week. The dividing line is put at 40 hours per week in order to distinguish full-time from part-time employment as these terms are usually understood in industry, and because maximum hours are thus defined in the T.vage- Hour Act. The division is thus generally serviceable even though some workers arc normally employed less than 40 hours por week. The chart indicates that full-tirnc employment fluctuated directly with total employment, end inversely with part-time employ¬ ment. The only major exception was in midsummer of 1940, when employ¬ ment of less than 40 hours per week rose relative to employment of 40 hours or more per week as many persons went on vacation. Sot only did part-time and full-time employment move for the most part in opposite eirections from month to month, but the number of part-time workers also tended steadily downward over the course of the year, while the number of full-time workers tended steadily upward. A continuation of the tendency for workers to shift from the group employed undor 40 hours to the group employed 40 hours or more will mean still greater production during the next year. In this connection it is worth noting that during each month of the past year there were more persons working less than 40 hours por week A28S1 _ 4 - than there were unemployed. For example, in April 194-1, approximately 8.1 million persons were working less than 40 hours per week, while 5.5 million persons were unemployed. Unemployment and Short Time The attached chart also shows the number of persons unem¬ ployed during each month o:" the past year. In general, the trend in the number of unemployed followed closely the trend in the number of persons working short time. This fact is further evidence that the labor force was more fully utilized both by hiring more workers and by lengthening hours. The favorable aspects of this tendency, as far as production is concerned, have been pointed out. It is also most important, how¬ ever, to note that the tendency has unfavorable implications for the rapid absorption of the unemployed into private jobs. Since man-hours of production can be stopped up by overtime work on the part of tho employed, tho pressure to hire workers hitherto unemployed is reduced. In conclusion it may bo said that longer hours of work afford an additional element of flexibility in tho utilization of tho labor forco. Changes in tho length of tho work week keep employment and unemployment from fluctuating more widely than they do. The danger of a shortage of labor is thereby lessened, and greatly in¬ creased production becomes possible; at tho sane time unemployment is kept from declining in proportion to the rise in production. A2881 ~ 5 - Hours of Work of Employed. Persons, April 1940 and. April 194-1 Hours worked Total Rural counties Urban counties Five lamest cities during April April April April April April April April census week 1940 1941 1940 1941 1940 1941 1940 1941 Percent distribution otal 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.c 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 Less than 30a/ 15.7 9.0 IS.2 10.1 14.1 8.1 13.2 9.3 30—39 11.5 8.4 10.9 6.S 11.4 9.1 12.9 S.8 40—49 46.9 52.4 32.2 36.1 54.1 60.3 55.8 62.6 50—59 10.5 10.4 15.2 13.7 8,3 8.8 7.-5 8.1 60 and over 15.4 19.8 22.5 33.2 12.1 13.7 10.6 10.2 rerageb/ 41.6 45,8 42.9 51.0 41.3 4-4.7 41.3 49.3 ' Includes a small proportion of persons who had a job but did not work during le census week because of vacation, temporary illness, bad weather conditions, or miporary layoff with definite instructions to return to work by a specific date, .so includes farmers who did no 'work during the census week. The average is a mean, computed, from a distribution of single hours of work, arsons who had a job but did not work during the census week were classified in a sparate group, "0 hours," in computing the mean. FEDERAL WORKS AG-ENCY Work Projects Administration Division of Research MONTHLY REPORT OF UNEMPLOYMENT EMPLOYMENT, HOURS OF WORK, AND UNEMPLOYMENT April 1940-Apnl 1941 TOTAL EMPLOYED Million Persons 50 48 46 44 Million Persons 50 48 46 44 P-1070 8 Apr May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr UNEMPLOYED Aor May June July Aug Sept Oct 1940 WPA 3889 Apr May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb EMPLOYED 40 OR MORE HOURS PER WEEK Apr May June July Aug Sept Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr EMPLOYED LESS THAN 40 HOURS PER WEEK A2961 July 15, 1941 MONTHLY REPORT OF UNEMPLOYMENT Special Memorandum, Ho. 2 Sex Differentials in Labor Market Activity The most significant difference in labor market participation between men and women in the United States is found when size of place is considered. In counties of all size groups, the proportion of males 14 years and older in the labor market during the year beginning April 1940 was practically the same. Thus, in the chart which accompanies this memorandum, the three lines representing male participation in the labor market in the urban and rural counties and the fivo largest cities are closely bunched. Among the females, however, difforonces in labor market activity were very marked. In the five metropolitan centers fully one-third of the women were workers; in the rural areas the proportion of females 14 years and older in the labor market ranged from less than one- fifth to one-fourth. These findings are based on estimates from the HP A sample Monthly He-port of Unemployment for the twelve months beginning April 1940. population 14 years of age and over were in the labor market. Only about one-fourth of the females, however, wore in the market. of women 14 years of age and older wore workers, it was the women who showed the greatest amount of change in labor market participation. This was particularly noticeable during the seasonal increase in the size of the labor force, for the women contributed a more than proportionate share to that increase during the sumraor months of 1940. For the country as a whole more than four-fifths of the male While it was true that a much greater proportion of men than ASS61 habor Market Activity Among Women The larger percentage change in labor market activity during the summer months among tho fomalos than among the males was most apparent in the rural counties. Botwoon tho high point in Juno 1940 and tho low point in March 1941, fomalos in rural areas showed more than a 30 percent change in labor market participation. Tho difference between the high and low points of labor market activity on the part of tho males, however, was less than 10 percent. Responsible for a major part of this increase among females was the influx of young girls into the labor market during tho summer months as unpaid family workers. During the month of Juno 1940, for example, more than one-half of the unpaid family workers in tho rural counties were female. Yet, normally, male workers outnumber female workers in a ratio of 4 to 1 in these places. At its peak, however, the proportion of females in the labor market in tho rural areas was still almost 10 percent short of the proportion in the five metropolitan centers. This fact suggests tho existence of a relation between employment opportunity and labor market activity. In tho five largest cities whore employment opportunities arc comparatively large for women (e.g., in office positions as typists, stenographers and clerks) about one—third of tho fomalos were in the labor market. In the rural areas where jobs for women are not so abundant, only about one-fifth to one-fourth of the females wore workers. Percentage estimates of labor market activity among the population 14 years of ago and over by sex and size of place for the period April 1940 to March 1941 are presented in tho tabic accompanying this memorandum. A2961 (3) Estimated Percent of Population 11 Years and Over In the Labor Force, By Sex and Size of Place April 1940 - March 1941 Month Males 14 Years of Age and Over Females 14 Years of Age and Over and United Urban Rural Five United Urban Rural Five Year States largest States largest cities cities 1940 April 82.4 83.0 80.9 84.0 26.7 28.7 20. 34.5 May- 83.5 83.4 83.7 83.7 27.0 28.0 23.4 32.3 June 85.7 85. 5 85.5 33.7 28.1 29.3 24.9 32.1 July 87.4 37.2 88.2 85.9 28.3 30.6 22.7 33.2 August 86.9 87.0 87.9 35.4 28.1 30.4 22.6 33.3 September 84.1 84.0 84.4 S3.5 27.8 29.2 24.0 32.1 October 83.5 83.2 83.3 85.2 27.3 29.6 21.0 33.6 November 82. S 81.3 83.0 84.7 26.3 29.1 18.3 33.3 December 81.7 80.7 81.9 85.3 25.6 28.5 17.9 32.5 1941 January 82.3 82.2 81.4 85.1 24.2 26.3 17.3 33.0 February 82.2 32.1 81.3 84.9 34.2 26.2 17.3 32.9 March 82 • 2 82.0 81.3 85.7 24.0 26.0 16.9 ry r~ oo. 2 FEDERAL UOEXS AGENCY Work Projects Administration Division of Research Perc 100 80 60 40 20 0 Perc 100 80 60 40 20 0 STIMATED PERCENT OF POPULATION 14 YEARS OF AGE AND OVER IN THE LABOR FORCE BY SEX AND SIZE OF PLACE April 1940 - March 1941 nt MALES Percent 100 V Urban counties I 5 largest cities -!■* V • u T.T rT#T.T" *.T.T Rural counties ¥ 80 60 40 20 FEMALES Percent 100 80 ■V" 5 largest cities ban counties 60 40 20 Rural counties / Apr May Jun Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar 1940 1941 WPA 3925 P-l 103 A3100 July 25, 19H MONTHLY REPORT 0? UNEMPLOYMENT Special Memorandum No. 3 Sex Differentials in Unemployment April 1940 - March 1941 The rate of unemployment among women workers in the United States was consistently higher than that of the men throughout the year "beginning April 1940. This was true not only for the country as a whole, "but also for counties of all size groups. Moreover, the rate of unemployment among"women workers was subject to a substantially greater amount of seasonal variation than was that of the men. As a result, significant differences between the unemployment rate of the two sexes are found when size of place is considered. Among the male workers, the. rate of unemployment was lowest in the rural counties, highest in the five largest cities, and intermediate in the urban counties. As can be. scon from the chart accompanying this memorandum, the seasonal variation in the male unemployment rate did not affect this relationship among the three county groups which was maintained throughout the entire jjcriod from April 1940 to March 1941. No such consistent trend, however, was found among women workers. Because of the marked seasonal variations, the first part of the year was materially different from the last in regard to the female unemployment rate in the counties of the three size groups. Brora April to September 1940 there was a wide disparity between the rural areas (which had by far the lowest unemployment rate A3100 _ o - among women workers) on the one hand, and the urban counties and five largest cities, on the other. From October 1940 to March 1941, however, these differences among the three county size groups became much smaller. It was du-ring this period, too, that the rural counties were supplanted by the urban counties as the areas with the lowest unemployment rate among women workers. These findings arc based on estimates from the WPA sample Monthly Report of Unemployment for the year beginning April 1940. Unemployment Among Women Uorkers The high plateau of unemployment among women workers during the summer months of 1940 occurred in conjunction with a seasonal increase in the size of the labor force, and indicates that the number of women workers increased much more rapidly than the job opportunities available to them at that time. This was most evident in the five metropolitan centers of New York, Chicago, Philadelphia, Detroit, and. Los Angeles. In these cities one out of every six women workers was unemployed in April 1940; by July of that year one out of every four of them was unemployed.. Because the seasonal upturn in agricultural activity paralleled the increase in the size of the labor force in the rural counties, women workers in those areas experienced, a much lower rate of unemployment than d.id those in the five largest cities. Thus, in July 1940 when the labor force was at its peak, the rate of unemployment among women workers in the five metropolitan centers was more than 10 percentage points higher than that of women workers in the rural auoas. A3100 However, the seasonal forces that operated during the winter months when the labor force declined, were more favorable to the women workers in the urban counties and in the five largest cities. For example, the upswing in business activity during Christmas resulted in a sharp decline in the rate of unemployment among females in those areas, but had no noticeable effect in the rural counties. During this period, the unemployment rate among women workers in the rural areas increased steadily, but declined in the urban counties and five largest cities. As a result, the wide disparity in the female unemployment rate among the counties in the three size groups ended. Even at its lowest point, however, the rate of unemployment among women workers was still higher than that of the men.. In the crucial period when the size of the labor force increased,.the male workers experienced only a slight increase in unemployment (most of which was confined to the men in the five largest cities). It was at this very time, in fact, that the difference between the unemploy¬ ment rate among the men and women reached its peak. The subsequbnt decrease in unemployment among the women, while narrowing this difference, left intact the sex differential in unemployment. Estimates of the unemployment rate among workers of both sexes by size of place for the period April 1940 to March 1941 arc presented in the table accompanying this memorandum. ESTIMATED PERCENT OF WORKERS UNEMPLOYED BY SEX AND SIZE OF PLACE April 1940—March 1941 Percent UNITED STATES Percent MALES FEMALES W PA 3931 P-l136 Estimated Percent of Workers Unemployed by Sex and Size of Place April 1940—March 1941 Month Percent of male workers unemployed Percent of female workers unemployed and United Rural Urban Five largest United Rural Urban Five larg- year States counties counties cities States counties counties est cities 1940 April 16.2 14.3 17.1 17.9 17.0 18.9 16.2 16.9 May 14.6 11.8 15.6 18.4 17.8 13.5 19.7 19.9 June 14.1 10.1 15.7 19.0 19.1 15.3 20.9 20.5 July 15.0 10.8 16.5 20.5 20.9 15.0 22.5 25.3 August 14.1 10.7 15.0 19.8 20.3 14.2 22.5 23.7 September 11.9 7.7 13.7 15.9 15.5 11.1 17.1 18.6 Dctober 12.8 9.5 13.9 16.8 16.0 15.0 15.5 18.6 November 13.5 10.6 14.7 16.0 16.0 15.9 15.5 17.9 December 13.1 10.2 14.4 15.8 13.9 15.1 12.8 15.8 1941 ranuary 13.8 12.0 14.0 17.2 16.5 16.9 15.4 18.9 February 12.8 10.5 13.3 16.9 16.1 16.7 15.3 17.7 -larch 12.3 10.2 12.7 17.8 15.1 16.6 13.5 17.8 FEDERAL works agency Work Projects Administration Division of Research A3190 INDERAL WORKS AGENCY Work Projects Adiiiniat,ration Au.gu.3t 14-, 3-941 MONTHLY REPORT OP UNEMPLOYMENT "Special Memorandum No. 4 Classes of Employed Workers in the United States June 1940 - June 1941 Nearly two-thirds of the Nation's employed labor force consists of wage and salary workers in private industry. The next largest group, amounting to about one-sixth of the employed, con¬ sists of self—employed persons working on own account (i.e., without paid employees), such as farmers, small shopkeepers, and independent professional persons. The remaining classes of workers are all relatively small, private employers and government employees (federal State, and local) each making up about 7 percent of the employed in June 1941, and unpaid family workers about 5 percent. As compared with June a year ago, the proportion of wage workers among the employed has risen, while the proportion of own-account and unpaid family workers has fallen. Those results were obtained from the past year's operations of our Monthly Honort of Unemployment. Wage Workers The proportion of the employed persons who were wage and salary workers in private industry did not vary greatly throughout the twelve months under discussion. During this period, wage workers made up from 62.9 to 65.1 percent of the employed labor force. The, proportion of wage workers among the employed was lowest in midsummer A3190 _ 2 - (Juno —August) 1940, when unpaid family workers entered the labor force in largo numbers, The number of wage workers in any given months depends on two related factors: (l) the distribution of the employed labor force among the different classes of workers, and (2) the total number of workers employed. During the past year the number of wage workers fluctuated between a low of 28.9 millions (in January 1941) and a high of 32,0 millions (in June 1841). These months also marked the low and high.points of total employment—45,2 and 49.8 millions, respectively. Because the employed group consists so largely of wage workers, fluctuations in total employment and in wage employment were very nearly parallel from month to month during the past year, (See attached chart). The wage-worker group has increased considerably from June of last year to June of this year—-from 30.0 to 32.0 million persons. The rise of 2.0 millions in wage-worker employment almost exactly equalled the rise in total employment. The wage-worker group is not only the largest among the classes of workers, but also the one in which changes in the demand for labor are most directly reflected. This is shown also by the fact that the proportion of wage workers among the employed rose from 62.9 to 64,3 percent between June 1940 and June 1941. Self-Employed Persons The self-employed group is divided into two parts, own- account workers and employers. Own-account workers are persons A3190 - 3 - engaged in operating a small farm, business, professional practice, etc., without paid employees (though they may be assisted by unpaid family workers). Employers are persons who hire wage or salary workers to assist them in operating their own business; this group includes both the farmer who employs only one hired hand and the ousinessman who employs a large number of workers. The two classes of solf-employed persons together amounted to about 22 or 23 percent of the employed during the past 12 months. As a rough approximation, persons working on own account were about 2g- times more numerous than employers. Some tendency for the proportion of own-account workers and employers to move in opposite directions is to be noted; undoubtedly this reflects shifts from own-account to employer status and vice versa as self-employed persons operating small farms or businesses took on or dismissed paid assistants. Though the number of self-employed persons is relatively stable, it is not so stable as is sometimes assumed. Within the past year the number of such workers fluctuated between a maximum of 10.9 millions (in July 1940) and a minimum of 10.4 millions (in January and April 1941), Other evidence available in the Monthly Report of Unemployment indicates that most of the fluctuation in the size of the self-employed group is in nonagricultural activities. Between June 1940 and June 1941 the number of own-account workers decreased by 0.3 million, while the number of employers increased by 0.3 million; the result was no net change in the size A3190 - 4 - of the self-employed, group as a whole. Government Employees Civil government employment (Federal, State, and local) remained fairly stable from month to month at the level of nearly 4 millions. During the summer months (June—August), the number and proportion of persons classified as government employees declined somewhat as many of them (particularly school teachers) went on vacation and were then classified in the group "Has job, not working," (See chart.) Unpaid Family Workers This group consists of persons who assist without money wages in operating a family farm or business enterprise. Since unpaid family workers are most numerous in farm work in rural areas, the seasonal fluctuations in their employment arc closely related to the seasonal pattern of agricultural activity, being high in summer and lov; in winter. During the past year the proportion of unpaid family workers fluctuated between 3 and 6 percent of the employed labor force, or between 1.2 and 2,8 millions. The high and low months of unpaid family work were June 1940 and January 1941, respectively. The number of unpaid family workers has declined slightly (by about 0.1 million) from June 1940 to June 1941. This decline is probably due to improved opportunities in wage work arising from expanded industrial activity. A3190 - 5 - Urbai>»Rural Differences The rclative sizo of the different classes of employed workers varies considerably according to size of place. 1/ Wage workers are the largest element among the employed in all three size groups of places—rural, urban counties, and the five largest cities. In the five largest cities wage workers account for about three-fourths of the employed population, and in urban counties for nearly as high a proportion. In rural counties, however, wage workers make up loss than half of the employed. 0n the other hand, self-employed persons and unpaid family workers are a much larger element in the rural counties than in. the urban counties or the five largest cities. The difference is mainly due to the important agricultural influence in rural counties, and the fact that the prevailing form of operations in agriculture is the independent labor of the farmer and his family. Conclusions The relative size of the different classes of workers varies more according to size of place at any given time (owing mainly to the greater or lesser importance of agriculture) than according to time of year. Nevertheless, significant changes have occurred in the number of 1J The division according to size of place in the Monthly Report of Unemployment is on a county basis. Rural counties are those with a 1940 population of less than 45,000; urban counties are those with a 1940 population of 45,000 or more (excluding the five largest cities). In addition, New York City, Chicago, Philadelphia, Detroit, and Los Angeles are treated as a separate group. A3190 - 6 - persons in the different classes of workors during tho past yoar. The greatest changes have "boon seasonal, corresponding to seasonal fluctuations in economic activity. In addition, noteworthy changes of a non-seasonal nature have occurred between June of last year and June of this year, the most important being a rise in wage employment almost equal to the rise in total employment, a rise in the number of employers offset by a decline in the number of own-account workers, and a slight decline in the number of unpaid family workers. These changes aro believed to be due largely to increased activity in the defense industries. A319O Glasses of Employed Workers in the United States June 19^+0—June 1941 Monthly Report of Unemployment Class of worker Total United States Wage workers Own-account workers Employers Government employees Unpaid family workers Has job—not working Rural counties Wage workers Own-account workers Employers Government employees Unpaid family workers Has job—not working 6. 6.7 5.9 1.9 I9W" Percent of employed workers 1941 June July Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. Feb. Mar. Apr. May June 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 62.9 16.0 41+. 7 2 1.8 8.9 5.0 12.0 1.6 63.1 16.2 6.6 5.7 5.0 3.4 63.0 15.8 6.6 6.1 4.8 3.7 63.6 16.0 6.4 7.8 4.8 1.4 64.5 15. 6 6.7 8.0 4.0 1.2 64.1 16.2 6.6 8.4 3.4 1.3 64.7 16.5 6.3 8.0 3.1 1.4 63.9 16.8 6.2 8.7 2.7 1.7 63.8 16.9 6.2 8.7 2.8 1.6 63.9 16.8 6.2 8.7 3.0 1.4 65.1 15.4 6.9 8.2 3-4 1.0 64.8 15.0 7.0 7.8 4.3 1.1 i4.6 6.9 6 .8 5-^ 2.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 1 00.0 100.0 100.0 46.6 28.1 9.3 4.5 8.3 3.2 45.7 28.3 9.0 5.3 8.5 3.2 46.4 28.1 8.5 7.3 8.6 1.1 47.4 27.9 9.0 7.2 7.3 1.2 47.2 29.8 8.5 7.6 5.8 1.1 47.2 30.1 8.4 7.8 5.4 1.1 45.6 31.5 8.2 8.0 5.1 l. 6 45.2 31.5 8.1 7.9 5.4 1.9 45.5 31.7 7.9 7-7 5.8 1.4 47.0 29.1 9.8 7.0 6.6 0.5 46.6 28.0 9.5 6.4 8.7 0.8 46.7 26.2 9-7 5.0 10.7 1-7 Urban counties Wage workers Own-account irorkers Employers Government employees Unpaid family workers Has job-not working 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.C 100.0 72.9 72.1 72.5 72.6 72.4 71.8 72.4 72.2 72.6 72.5 73.8 73-2 72.8 9.6 5-1 7-6 2.8 2.0 9-9 5.0 6.4 3-5 3-1 9.2 5-3 6.8 3.0 3.2 9-5 5.3 8.2 2.9 1.5 9. 5-6 8.6 2.5 1.1 9.9 5-8 8.8 2.5 1.2 10.2 5.5 8.3 2.0 1.6 9-9 5-4 9-3 1.4 1.8 9-9 5.4 9-2 1.5 1.4 9-8 5.4 9-3 1.5 1-5 8.8 5-^ 9-1 1-9 1.0 2-7 5.8 8.9 2.2 1.2 9-0 5-3 7.9 2.8 2.2 Five largest cities Wage workers Own-account workers Employers Government employees Unpaid family workers Has job—not working 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100'.0 100.0 75.3 8.0 5-8 7.6 1.4 1-9 72.8 8.3 5.6 6.5 1.6 5.2 72.1 7-9 5-5 6.4 1.9 6.2 75-4 8.1 5-1 8.0 1.4 2.0 76.2 7.4 5-3 8.2 1.6 1.3 75.0 8.0 4.8 8.7 1-5 2.0 76.5 8.3 4.3 7.9 1-7 1.3 75.9 8.0 4.8 8.1 1-7 1.5 75-3 7.9 4.8 8. 6 1.8 1.6 75-5 7.8 4.8 3.6 2.0 1.3 76. U 6.9 5-6 7.6 1-5 2.0 77-3 6.9 5-2 7.6 1.6 1.4 77-0 6.7 5-5 7.4 1-7 1.7 Mill Per; 50 48 46 44 32 30 28 8 6 4 2 0 CLASSES OF EMPLOYED WORKERS IN THE UNITED STATES, Million Persons years. More¬ over, among those with work experience, there is a fairly large proportion of clerical, sales, domestic, and service workers, with skilled workers few in number. Therefore, training and retraining will be necessary in utilizing a considerable part of the labor reserve. (c) Since women make up a very large part of the labor reserve, it, seems obvious that the "heavy industries" so essential to the war effort cannot draw extensively on this group. Much the same is true of the older men, and men with physical handicaps. Effective use of the res rve, there¬ fore, nay require shifting of men into essential operations that women cannot perform and the replacement of men in the many operations Tor which women arc qualified. (d) The needs oi the Nation for manpower may well require the drawing in of non-workers on a half-time basis., If this should be the case, there is the important problem of arranging short shifts without disturbing full-time operations. In summary, then, there appears to bo a large number of non-workers available for full-time, and a slightly smaller number available for half- time work, if suitable work in terms of location, skill, and physical AU313 _ 3 - requirements of the job can be provided. Despite their availability, many of these potential workers will not be utilized unless effective direction by the agencies responsible for manpower mobilization is supplied. There is little doubt that the country is already drawing -on re¬ serve manpower to meet the needs of industrial expansion and to replace workers called into military service. Between February and March of this year some l.U million persons shifted from non-worker to worker status, and 1.2 million of this increase consisted of women. There was a corresponding increase in the employment of women between February and March. A more detailed discussion of the .characteristics7 of the labor potential is presented in the pages which follow. Characteristics of Potential Workers The non-worker population li; years of age and older was estimated at U5.2.million persons in March, The source of the 7.6 million full-time potential workers and the 5.6 million part-time workers was as follows: (Millions of persons) AvaiJ ability for employment Source of potential Could take .a Could take a labor supply full-time job half-time job only Total 7.6 5.7 Housewives or homemakers 6.5 2.9 Students in school 0.5 2.5 Persons unable or too old to seek work under normal conditions 0.3 0.2 Persons in miscellaneous nonworker classification 0.3 0.1 Sex and ago Women outnumber men at the rate of 10 to 1 among potential workers. Out of 7.6 million available full-time workers, 7.0 million were women, most Ah313 - h - of whom were engaged in home housework. More than half (U.O million) of the women in this full-time labor reserve were in the highly employable age range of 20 to bb years; 2.b mil¬ lion were bS years of age or older and 0.6 million were under 20 years. In contrast, very few of the men in the full-time labor reserve were between the ages of 20 and bb years, r ..hough younger men (under 20 years) slightly outnumbered older men (65 years or older). The following table summarizes the age and sex distribution of non-workers available for full- and for half-time employment. (Millions of persons) Could take a full- Could take a half- Age time job time job only Total Male Female Total Male Female Total 7.6 0.6 7.0 5.7 1.6 U.i ll+—19 years 0.9 0.3 0.6 2.5 1.3 1.2 20—bb years )4,0 * U.o 1.8 0.1 1.7 bb—6b years 2.U 0.1 2-3 1.1 C.l 1.0 65 years and over 0.3 0.2 0.1 0.3 by • — 0.2 # Less than 0.65 million. Work experience and occupational skills Most of the potential workers will need +rainier or rctrai r.ing before they can be employed effectively. Many of them were • without any pri- vate work experience' whatever, another large groi% had been out of the labor market for several years, and skilled workers wore too few to remit separ¬ ate classification. Only sxightly more tnan one-tnird of the 7.6 million non—workers who could take full-time jobs had worked within the last five years; about one-third had withdrawn from private employment more than 5 years ago; and AU313 - 5 - o\e*i one-fourth- reported that they had never held a'private" or'regular govern¬ ment job lasting 3 consecutive days or more. The-table which follows summarizes the work experience of non-workers who could take-lull- or half-time employment: (Millions of persons) Work experience^;/ Could take a Could take a full-teme half-time job job only Tot al 7.o 5.7 Inexperienced 2.2 2.5 . TIith work experience 5.U 2:8 Within last 5 years 2TB m More than 5 years ago 2.5 • 1.3 .Mot reported 0.1 . 0.1 17 Work.experience.refers, to the person's last nonemergency ;job lasting 3 consecutive days or more. The last occupational attachment of the largest single group 1/ among the full-time labor reserves was "clerical, sales, and kindred workers." The other important, categories were "operatives and kindred workers" and "domestic service workers." These three major occupational groups accounted for over two-thirds of those with private work experience who could take full- time jobs. Less than 100,000 non-workers whose last job was in one of the skilled, trades (i.e., craftsmen, foremen, and kindred workers) were avail¬ able for full-time emoloyment. The occupational distribution as presented in the following table again "emphasizes the 'preoo'nderahce'"b'f "women "in' the potential labor supply. 17 See I9I4-O Census major occupational groupings. AU313 - 6 - (Millions of persons) "Availability for employment Occupation group on last Could take- a Could take a 3-day nonemergency job full-time half-time job job only Total 5/7 Clerical, sales, and kindred workers 1.6 0.8 Operatives and kindred workers 1.2 0.6 Domestic service workers 0.9 O.U Service workers, except domestic and protective 0.6 0.3 Professional and scmiprofessional workers 0.5 0.2 Other and nonclassifiable 0.6 0.5 Inexperienced 2.2 2.9 Farm-nonfarm residence The residence of slightly more than four-fifths of the nonworkers available for full-time employment was nonfarm, i.e., in cities, towns, etc.; and slightly less than one-fifth resided on farms. This division of poten¬ tial workers by farm and nonfarm residence is almost identical with the division of the labor force in April 19U0, as reported by the Bureau of the Census. The Census reported that 19.9 percent of the total labor force re¬ sided on farms, whereas 1.5 million, or 19.7 percent, of the 7.6 million potential workers discussed in this memorandum were living on farms. In general, this agreement suggests that the potential labor force is distri¬ buted geographically in much the same way as is the total population and the total labor force. Reasons why nonworkers could not take full-time jobs All non-workers who reported that they could not take a full-time job were asked why they could not take employment. The most important reason was the care of small children or other dependents in the household; next in importance was the continuation of school attendance during the next 30 AU313 - 7 - days. Persons in these two groups made up ?? millibn of tho 37.5 million who could not take full-time employment.- As the table below indicates, old age, permanent disability, and temporary illness accounted for most of the others. (Millions of persons) Present nonworker classification Home Unable Other Total house- In or non- work" school too old workers ironworkers who could not take a full-time job 37.5 22.9 8.1,. 5.7 o.5 Care of small children or other dependents 13.6 13.5 ->(- 0.1 To continue school 8. U 8.3 -X- — Too old to work 5.5 2.5 *5r 2.8 0.2 Permanent disability 5.1 2.3 -x- 2.7 Si Temporary illness 3.3 3.1 0.1 0.1 • Other reasons '1.6 i.5 0.1 --- Less than 0.05 million. Non-workers who could take half-time jobs There were 5*700,000 non-workers in March who were not available for full-time employment, but who indicated that they could take half-time jobs requiring at least 20 hours of work a week. Slightly over one-half (2.9 million) of these persons were housewives or "homemakers," but almost as many (2.5 million) were students regularly enrolled in school. That students who reported themselves available for both full- time and half-time jobs did not account for a larger'potential labor supply at this time, can be attributed to the fact that the question asked referred to availability within the next 30 days. Actually, on the basis of past years' experience, something over 3,000,000 students can be expected to enter the labor market for at least temporary employment during the summer of 1952. AU313 - 8 - As might be expected from the higher representation of students in this half-time labor reserve, the characteristics of the group differed markedly from those of non-workers who could take full-time jobs. Over one- fourth of the half-time potential was made up of males. The age concentra¬ tion (2.5 million of the 5.7 million total) was in the group lU—19 years. From the standpoint of work experience the half-time group was not too well equipped: Over one-half (2,9 million) were inexperienced,and only about one-fourth had had private work experience within the past 5 years. Survey procedure The information on potential workers presented in this memorandum was derived from a supplementary inquirey made in connection with the harch 19h2 operation of the WPA Monthly Report of Unemployment. Each month the WPA interviews a cross-section of the Nation's households; these households are located in 6b counties and in U5 states. The regular monthly interview determines the labor-market status of each member in the sample households who is lb years of age and older, in terms of employment, unemployment, or class of non-worker. n In March, the regular inquiry was completed first, and then each person in the household who was found to be a non-worker, i.e., neither employed nor unemployed, was asked an additional question: "Could this non- worker (hornemaker, student, etc.) take a full-time job for wages if one were available in the community within the next month?" If the answer to this question was "Yes," no further questions were asked. If the answer was "No," th : non-worker was asked to state the • reason. Reasons were checked under one of the following headings, "Needed at homo to care for children, invalids, or other dependents in the household," - 9 - "Student—to continue school," "Too old," "Permanent disability," "Temporary illness," and "Other." A final question was asked of those non-workers who could not take a full-time job to find out whether they could take a half-time job, defined as one of at least 20 hours a week. Responses to this supplementary inquiry were carefully checked for completeness and consistency and the final results combined into a total for the country in the same way as the regular estimates of labor force, employment, and unemployment. FEDERAL WORKS AGENCY WORK PROJECTS ADMINISTRATION Division of Research and Statistics AU66U FEDERAL WORKS AGENCY WorlTl^rojects Administration . July 6, 19Ji2 MONTHLY REPORT OF EMPLOYMENT AND UNEMPLOYMENT Special Memorandum No. 11 Women in the Labor Force Women are accounting for more of the current upswing in employment than men, according to the results of the Monthly Report of Employment and Unemployment. Between May 19Ul and May 19l|2, the number of women employed increased by 1,700,000 while the corresponding v. increase for men was 1,14.00,000, These employment gains were in sharp contrast with those of the year preceding. From May 19b0 to May 19U1 more than three times as many men as women found employment—an increase of 1,700,000 men as against a rise of only 900,000 women.• These developments reflect the ever-growing demands of the war industries for workers, at the same time that men are being drawn into the Nation's armed forces. During the early stages of the defense program, unemployed men furnished the most readily available reserve of labor for industrial expansion. In recent months, however, as the armed forces have drawn off more and more men from the civilian labor market, employers have turned increasingly to women workers to help meet their production schedules. Many of the women who have taken employment have been drawn into the labor force from nonworker groups. Comparing the figures for May 19U1 and May 1-9U2,. if is seen, that employment among women AU66U - 2 - increased by 1,700,000, while the number of women who were unemployed declined by only 800,000 during this period. Thus, on the basis of May figures, almost a million women have entered the labor market over s the past year. There still remains a total of 1,000,000, unemployed women and 1,600,000 unemployed men in the country. Over and above these, the most important labor reserves are to be found among women in the middle years, principally housewives, and among older students. The extent to which women have already moved into the labor force shows how important a role they are playing in the war, ana with the great bulk of the potential labor supply consisting of women, many more will soon be called upon for employment in war industries and to fill jobs left vacant by men. The attached table gives the national estimates of employment and unemployment from this series for the period April 19l*0 through May 19U2, by male and female. 1/ See Potential Labor Supply in the United States, March 191*2, Monthly Report of Unemployment, Special Memorandum No. 10, Federal Works Agency, Work Projects Administration, April 22, 191*2• AU661i - 3 - ESTIMATES OF EMPLOYMENT AND UNEMPLOYMENT 3Y SEX UNITED STATES, APRIL 19bO—MAY 19b2 REVISED SERIES (Millions of persons) Month and Enipl oymentb/ Unemployment year Total Male Female Total Male Female I9U0 April b5.1 3b.1 11.0 8.8 6.5 2.3 May 1|6.3 35.3 11.0 8.b 6.0 2.b June b7.6 36. b 11.2 8.6 5.9 2.7 July U7.6 36.8 10.3 9.3 6.3 3.0 August U 7.7 36.9 10.8 8.9. 6.0 2.9 September b7*9 36.7 11.2 7.0 b.8 2.2 October U7.0 36.2 10.8 7.b 5.1 2.3 November U6.3 35.8 10.5 7.b 5.3 2.1 December ho,3 35.7 10.6 7.1 5.2 1.9 19bl January U5.3 35.1 10.2 7.7 5.6 2.1 February b5.7 35. b 10.3 7.2 5.2 2.0 March b5.8 35. b 10.b 6.9 5.0 1.9 April h6.8 36.2 10.6 6.7 b.7 2.0 May b3.5 37.0 11.5 5.7 3.9 1.8 June 50.2 38.3 11.9 6.0 b.o 2.0 July 50.9 38.9 12.0 5.7 3.7 2.0 August 51.0 38.8 12.2 5.b 3.6 1.8 September 50.3 38.0 12.3 b.5 3.0 1.5 October 50.2 31.9 12.3 3.9 2.5 l.b November 50.2 37.7 12.5 3.9 2.6 1.3 December 50.2 37.6 12.6 3.8 2.6 1.2 19b2 January 13.9 37.0 11.9 b.3 .3.0 1.3 February U9.U 37.2 12.2 b.o 2.8 1.2 March SO.9 37.6 13.3 3.6 2.b 1.2 April 50.7 37.8 12.9 3.0 2.0 1.0 May 51.6 38.b 13.2 2.6 1.6 1.0 1/ Excludes institutional population and estimated number of persons in the armed forces. Al±707 FEDERAL W0RK3 AGENCY Work Projects Administration July 20, 19U2 .-MONTHLY REPORT OF EMPLOYMENT AND UNEMPLOYMENT ' Special Memorandum No. 12 Students in the Labor Force During the Summer of 19jjl Students make up one of the major reserves of additional manpower needed to meet the Nation's war-production goals. More than one-third of the 9,000,000 persons lR years of age and over who were in school in April 19Rl reported active participation in the labor market in July and August of 19Rl, according to the YiiPA sample Monthly Report of Employment and Unemployment.-/ About 1,R00,000 of the per¬ sons who were in school in April 19Rl were still in the labor force in October. - Students thus accounted in large part for the rise in the total labor force between April and July 19Rl, and for most of the decline between July and October. At the peak of employment last summer, in July and August, about 2,R00,000 of the student group were employed (see attached table). Of these, about one-third were unpaid workers on family farms or in family business enterprises. In view of the fears recently felt that labor shortages might curtail agricultural pro¬ duction, it is encouraging that last summer's experience shows so large a supply of labor to be available among students. Information available for the current months of 19R2 suggests that the student group is supplementing the agricultural labor force to an even 1/ See technical note at the end of this memorandum for an explana¬ tion of the method used in following the, activities during the summer months of persons who were students in April 19R1. AU707 - 2 - greater extent this summer. Large as the group of student workers was last summer, there is considerable room for its expansion this summer. Not only may more students be attracted into the labor market, but those who seek employ¬ ment may be more successful. In this connection, it should be noted that from 700,000 to 800,000 student workers were unemployed in June, I July, and August of last year. The influx of students into the labor force in the summer months normally produces a rise in the volume of unemployment. In 19U0, unemployment rose from 8,U00,000 in May to 8,600,000 in June, and to 9,300,000 in July. In the summer of I9I4I, with heightened defense activity, unemployment rose in only one month—from 5,700,000 in May to 6,000,000 in June. This year, unemployment again rose between May and June (from 2,600,000 to 2,800,000). The extent to which students are being successfully utilized this summer will be shown by what happens to unemployment in July. Students play a double part in meeting manpower require¬ ments: they provide an enormous temporary supply of labor in the summer months; and they are the largest source of new additions to the permanent labor supply. About 1,^00,000 (16.2 percent) of the 9,000,000 persons who v;ere in school in April 19Ul were still in the labor force in October 19Ul, some 7,200,000 (80.5 percent) had returned to school, while the remainder (3.3 percent) were in other AU707 3 - nonschool activities. Some considerable part of these 1,1^00,000 persons who were in the labor force in October were permanently out of school and had become part of the "permanent" additions to the labor supply. With better employment opportunities and higher wages, both temporary and permanent additions to the labor supply from among students are almost certain to be larger and more effectively utilized this summer than last* Note on Method The estimates for the special student group discussed in this memorandum are based upon the activities of all persons in the Monthly Report of Employment and Unemployment sample who were class— ified as "In school"!/ in April 19Hl, and whose activities were known for each succeeding month through October 19'ii* Thus, the special tabulation on which this analysis is based excluded persons whose activities were unknown for one or more months of the sample, or who were lost from the sample; the estimates must therefore be used with some caution. The activities of the special student group could be followed only through October 19Ul* because in the following month the household sample was changed. An analysis similar to the present one was made last year for the student group of 19UQ. (See Work Projects Administration, Monthly Report of Unemployment, Special Memorandum No. 5, "Students in the Labor Market During the Summer Months," September 16, 19Ul•) The special student sample of 19U0 included all persons who were "In school" in Ma;/ 19U0, whose activities could be followed through September 19U0-. It is felt that the broader time span covered in the case of the 19Ul student group makes the results of the present analysis more comprehensive than that which could be made for the 19U0 student group. It should also be noted that the results for the two yfears V Persons ar§ classified as "In school" in the survey if they were not working during the census week and stated that their reason for not seeking work was attendance at school. AU707 - U - are not strictly comparable, because limitation of the 19^0 special student group to persons ,who -were "In school" in May excluded some persons in rural areas who left school (and in many cases entered the labor market) before the May census week* An analysis of the activities of the 19^2 student group will be presented when the data become available. FEDERAL WORKS AGENCY Work Projects Administration Division of Research and Statistics AU707 - 5 - ACTIVITIES DURING THE SUIT rR MONTHS OF PERSONS lit YEARS OF AGE AND OVER WHO WERE IN SCHOOL IN APRIL 19U1 (Percent distribution) Activity- April 19U1 May June July Aug. Sept. Oct. Total 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 100.0 In labor force 6. U 27. h 35.3 3U.9 19.9 16.2 Employed 5.3 19.7 26.7 27.0 16.0 13.It Unpaid family workers 2.8 9.3 9.0 7.9 h. 6 2.1 Other employed workers 2.5 10. k 17.7 19.1 11. h 11.3 Unemployed 1.1 7.7 8.6 7.9 3.9 2.8 Not in labor force 100.0 93.6 72.6 6U.7 65.1 80.1 83.8 In school 100.0 92.2 It2.8 3.7 3. It 73.0 80.5 Home housework 0.8 It. 8 5.9 5.7 2.0 2.3 Other nonworkers 1/ 0.6 25.0 55.1 56.0 5.1 1.0 1/ Mainly students on vacation from school. LA30R-FCRCE PARTICIPATION AND EMPLOYMENT STATUS DURING THE SUMMER MONTHS OF PERSONS l!* YEARS OF AGE AND OVER WHO WERE IN SCHOOL IN APRIL 19hl (Estimatesl/ in millions of persons) Activity May ICltl June July Aug. Sept. Oct. In labor force 0.6 2.5 3.2 3.1 1.8 l.U Employed 0.5 1.8 2 .it 2 .It l.U 1.2 Unpaid family workers 0.3 0.8 0.8 0.7 O.It 0.2 Other employed workers 0.2 1.0 1.6 1.7 1.0 1.0 Unemployed 0,1 0.7 0.8 0.7 o.U 0.2 1/ Obtained by applying the percentages shown in the preceding table to the 9.0 million persons estimated in the Monthly Report of Employment and Unemployment to be "In school" in April IRUl. AU 717 FEDERAL WORKS AGENCY Work Projects Administration July 31, 19)42 MONTHLY REPORT OF EMPLOYMENT AND UNEMPLOYMENT Special Memorandum No. 13 Age of Employed and Unemployed Persons, April 19i|0-June 19I4.2 Unemployment has declined among workers of all ages as a result of increasing defense and war activity in the past two years, but the greatest proportionate decline has been among the younger workers, and the least among the older workers. Because of military inductions, however, the recent large gains in employment have been confined to workers under 20' years of age and over 39 years, accord¬ ing to the WPA sample Monthly Report of Employment and Unemployment. Age Distribution of Unemployed Persons Within the last two years, older persons have come to make up a larger and larger proportion of the unemployed. This is another way of saying that young workers, so hard hit during depression years, have been affected more, proportionately, by defense and war activities than workers in the other age groups. For many processes in war industries younger workers are preferred over older workers. In addition, inroads made in the unemployed population by military inductions have been almost wholly in the younger age brackets. Comparing the same months for 19U0, 19U1, and 19h2, the proportion of the unemployed in the middle age group, 25—5U years, has remained fairly constant, whereas the proportion in the youth group has declined, and that for the older workers has increased. The age distribution of unemployed workers in April, May, and June of the last three years is as follows? Aim 7 - 2 - Month and Age of the unemployed (Percent distribution' year All ages 1)4 - 2)4 25 - 5)4 55 and over April 19U0 100.0 36.0 50.7 13.3 April 19U1 100.0 33.7 50.6 15.7 April 19U2 100.0 27.3 51.9 20.8 May 19U0 100.0 35.8 50.5 13.7 May 19Ul 100.0 3U.8 U9.3 15.9 May 19U2 100.0 28.U 51.2 20.14 June 19)40 100.0 U2.3 U5.5 12.2 June 19)41 100.0 U0.5 UU »2 15.3 June 19U2 100.0 39.7 U3.6 16.7 Unemployed Rates by Age The pattern of unemployment rates has changed markedly from that which prevailed when unemployment was at a higher level. In 19U0 and 19bl> the youth group had the highest rates of unemployment, the older group the next highest, and the middle age group the lowest. At the present time, the middle age group of workers still has the lowest rate of unemployment (about U percent), but the youngest and the oldest workers have nearly the same unemployment rates (about l 6-8 percent). The rates of unemployment among workers in the different age groups in April, May, and June of the last three years are as follows: Percent of labor force unemployed Month and year All ages la-2U 25-5U 55 and over April I9I4O. 16 J4 26.3 13.2 15.1 April 19I4I 12.5 18.7 10.1 13.2 April 19U2 5.6 7.1 U.6 7.7 May 19U0 15.3 23.9 I2.U 1)4.5 May 19)41 10.5 16.1 8.3 11.3 May 19U2 U.8 6,2 3.9 6.2- June 19U0 15.3 25.6 11 .U 13.14 June 19)41 10.7 17.0 7.9 11.1 June 19U2 5.1 8.1 3.7 5.6 All 717 - 3 - The fact that workers li;-2U years of age have about the same rate of unemployment as the older workers is due to relatively high un¬ employment among extremely young workers under 20 years of age, who in most instances are without work experience. This is particularly noticable in the rise in the unemployment rate for the youth group between May and June 19b2, as large numbers of students under 20 years of age entered the labor force (see table 2). Age Changes in Employment Total employment increased by 3,100,000 persons between June 19)41 and June 19U2. The largest increase, amounting to 1,300,000 persons, occurred in the age group II4—19 yearsj all of the remaining increase occurred in the age groups over 35 years. Not only did the age group lU—"19 years account for the largest increase in employment from last June to this, but it also accounted for the greatest seasonal fluctuations in total employment* For example, employment among persons lU—19 years of ago increased from 3*700,000 in January 19U2 to 6*600,000 in June 19U2. This rise is of course caused by the influx of students into agriculture and other seasonal, industries at the close of the school year. From June 19U1 to June 19U2, employment declined by l|.00,000 persons in the age group 20-2U years, and remained at the same level in the age group 2$-3h years. In these age groups the employment of women has increased over a year ago, but these increases have failed to make up for the extensive inductions of men into the armed forces. A^717 Table 1 - Broad Age Groups of Employed and Unemployed Persons, Tp-iX 19*4-0 - June 19M-2 (Revised Series - Millions of Persons) Employed 1/ Unemployed Year and month All ages lU-2** 25-5I+ 55 ant* 01 I9I+O 1*5.1 'April 8.9 29.5 6.7 May 1*6.3 9.6 29.9 6. g June 1*7.6 10.6 30.2 6.g July 1*7.6 10.9 29.9 6. g August 1*7-7 10.9 30.1 6.7 September ^7.9 10.2 30. g 6.9 October 1*7.0 9.9 30.1+ 6.7 November 1*6.3 9.6 30.0 6.7 December be.3 9-5 30.0 6.8 19^1 All ages lb-zb 23-5b 55 and over g.g 3.2 ^.5 1.1 g.i* 3.0 b.2 1.2 g.6 3.6 3.9 1.1 9.3 b.2 b.i 1.0 g«9 3.9 3.9 1.1 7.0 2.6 3.^ 1.0 7.1* 2.6 3.6 1.2 l.b 2.6 3.7 1.1 7.1 2.1* 3.7 1.0 January 1*5-3 8.9 29.g 6.6 1.1 2. g 3.8 1.1 February 1*5-7 9.1 30.0 6.6 7.2 2.5 3.6 1.1 March 1*5.8 9.1 30.1 6.6 6.9 2.1* 3.b 1.1 April 1+6. g 9.7 30.2 6.9 6.7 2.3 3.b 1.0 May l*g. 5 10.1* 31.0 7.1 5.7 2.0 2. g 0.9 June 50.2 11.9 30.9 l.b 6.0 2.1* 2.7 0.9 July 50.9 12.5 31.0 7.** 5.7 2.1* 2.5 0.8 August 51.0 12.3 31.3 l.b 5.b 2.3 2.2 0.9 September 50.3 11.0 31.7 7-6 b.5 1.6 2.1 o.g October 50.2 10.7 32.1 7-i* 3.9 1.3 1.9 0.7 November 50.2 10.6 32.2 l.b 3.9 1.3 2.1 0.5 December 50.2 10.6 32.1* 7.2 3.8 1.1 1.9 o.g 19l*2 !*.3 January l*g. 9 9.9 •31.9 7.1 1.3 2.2 o.g February 1*9.1* 10.1 32.0 7.3 i*.o 1.2 2.0 o.g March 50.9 10.7 32.g l.b 3.6 l.l 1.7 o.g April 50.7 10.7 32.5 7.5 3.0 o.g 1.5 0.7 May 51.6 11.1 32.6 7.9 2.6 0.7 1.3 0.6 June 53.3 12. g 32.1* g.i 2. g 1.1 1.2 0.5 1/ Excludes institutional population and estimated number of persons in the armed forces. AU717 Table 2 - Detailed Age Groups of Employed and Unemployed Persons, June 19Ul 2z - June 19U2 (Revised Series - Millions of Persons) Year and nT"~THTT9 2CTJ 2^3H JOTi WZK STand month ages over Employed 2/ 19U1 June 50.2 5.3 6.6 12.0 10.7 8.2 5.2 2.2 July 50.9 5.8 6.7 11.9 10.8 8.3 5.2 2.2 August 51.0 5.7 6.6 12.1 10.8 8.U 5.3 2.1 September 50.3 U.5 6.5 12.3 11.0 8.U 5.U 2.2 October 50.2 U.l 6.6 12.3 11.1 8.7 5.2 2.2 November 50.2 U.l 6.5 12.5 11.0 8.7 5.2 2.2 December 50.2 U.l 6.5 12.6 11.0 8.8 5.1 2.1 19U2 January U 8.9 3.7 6.2 12.2 11.0 8.7 5.0 2.1 February U9.U 3.8 6.3 12.2 11.1 8.7 5.1 2.2 March 50.9 U.2 6.5 12. U 11.3 9.1 5.1 2.3 April 50.7 u.u 6.3 12.2 11.3 9.0 5.3 2.2 May 51.6 U. 9 6.2 12.2 11.3 9.1 5.6 2.3 June 53.3 6.6 6.2 12.0 11.3 9.1 5.8 2.3 Unemployed 19U1 June 6.0 1.6 0.8 1.0 0.8 0.9 0.7 0.2 July 5.7 1.6 0.8 0.9 0.7 0.-9 0.7 0.1 August 5.U 1.5 0.8 0.8 0.6 0.8 0.7 0.2 September U.5 0.9 0.7 0.7 0.6 0.8 0.6 0.2 October 3.9 0.7 0.6 0.7 0.6 0.6 0.5 0.2 November 3.9 0.7 0.6 0.7 0.7 0.7 o.U 0.1 December 3.8 0.6 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.6 0.6 0.2 191+2 January |February March \April May June U.3 0.7 0,6 0.8 0.7 0.7 0.6 0.2 U.O 0.7 0.5 0.6 0.7 0.7 0.6 0.2 3.6 0.6 0.5 0.6 0.5 0.6 0.6 0.2 3.0 0.5 0.3 o.5 0.5 0.5 0.5 0.2 2.6 o.U 0.3 o.U 0.5 o.U 0.5 0.1 2.8 0.8 0.3 o.U o.U o.U o.U 0.1 Detailed age groups not available before June 19Ul. Excludes institutional population and estimated number of persons in the armed forces. AU733 FEDERAL WORKS AGENCY Work Projects Administration August 6, 1914.2 MONTHLY REPORT OF EMPLOYMENT AND UNEMPLOYMENT Special Memorandum No. llj. Hours of Work, June 19hl - June 19^2 The Nation's manpower is being utilized more effectively in the war production program not only through the hiring of millions of additional persons, but also through putting more employed workers on full-time or overtime schedules. Between June 19U1 and Junb 19i|2, when total employment rose by 3}100,000 persons, the number of per¬ sons employed i;0 or more hours a week rose by 3,600,000, while the number employed less than UO hours a week actually declined by 900,000, according to the WPA sample Monthly Report of Employment and Unemployment. With more persons working full time or overtime, average (mean) weekly hours of work have risen from U9.7 last June to U6•7 this June (see table 2). This lengthening of the work week accounts for approximately one-quarter of the total increase in man-hours of productive time over the last year. The fact that over one-sixth of all employed persons in June 19U2 worked less than UO hours a week suggests a considerable degree of unused capacity in the labor force now employed. It must be remembered, however, that in many jobs outside of war lines only part-time workers are needed, and many workers have domestic or other responsibilities that would keep them out of thevlabor market entirely AU733 - 2 - if they could not find part-time jobs. The continued employment of largo numbers of part-time workers thu3 may bo one aspect of the fuller utilization of our labor reserves, just as is the current trend toward a longer work week and the drawing in of new workers to the labor force, Hours of Work in Agriculture and Konagricultural Industries Of the two means of increasing man-hours—hiring more work¬ ers, and lengthening the work week—the former has been more important in nonagricultural industries, and the latter more important in agri¬ culture. Between June 19Ul and Juno 19U2, the number of persons em¬ ployed in nonagri'cultural industries increased by 2,500,000, while the number employed in agriculture increased by 600,000. At the same time, average (mean) weekly hours of work went up by 0.8 (from U3.0 in June 19U1 to U3.0 in June 19lj2) in nonagricultural industries, and by 1.8 (from 55-U to 57.2) in agriculture. Evidence summarizing the changes in weekly hours of work in nonagricultural and agricultural employment over the past year is presented in the following table: Table 1. - INCREASE OR DECREASE IN NUMBER OF PERSONS WORKING SPECIFIED WEEKLY HOURS, JUNE 19hl TO JUNE 19U2 (Millions of Persons) Weekly hours Increase or decrease, June 19U1 to June 191+2 of work Total Nonagricultural Agricultural employment employment employment Total employed +3.1 +2.5 +0.6 Less than 1+0 hours -0.5 -0.1 -0.1+ 1+0-1+9 hours +1.2 +0.9 +0.3 50-59 hours +0.7 +1.1 -0.1+ 60 or more hours +1.7 +0.6 +1.1 Source: Table 2" at end of this memorandum. Ah 733 - 3 _ In nonagricultural industries, between June I9I4I and June 19h2, employment of less than I4.O hours a week declined by 100,000, and employment of I4.O or more hours a week advanced by 2,600,000. Hours of work in nonagricultural industries have lengthened both be¬ cause of the shifts of part-time workers to full-time schedules and full-time workers to overtime schedules, and because of the hiring of many new workers for full-time jobs. One of the most outstanding developments in agricultural employment over the past year is the increase of 1,100,000 in the number of persons working 60 or more hours a week. During the same period, the number employed less than I4.O hours a week in agriculture has declined by 1|00,000. This undoubtedly indicates that many farm operators, by working longer hours themselves, are making up for the / loss of considerable numbers of experienced farm torkers who have migrated to war-production centers or entered the armed forces. More¬ over, in the case of the supplementary agricultural labor supply — farm women and children, together with students and other persons from nearby towns—a much larger proportion is being utilized on a full-time basis this summer. FEDERAL WORKS AGENCY Work Projects Administration Division of Research and Statistics Table 2 — HOURS OF WORK OF ALL EMPLOYED PERSONS, BY AGRICULTURAL AND NONAGRICULTURAL EMPLOYMENT, JUNE 1941—JUNE I9U2 (Millions of persons l4 years of age and over) Hours worked'during the census week June 19^1 July Aug. Sept. Oct. Nov. Dec. Jan. 1942 Feb. March April May June Total employment 50.2 50.9 51.0 50.3 50.2 50.2 50.2 48.9 49.4 50.9 50.7 51.6 53-3 0 hoursl/ 1.0 1.7 2.0 O.g 0.6 0.7 0.6 1-3 0-9 0.9 0.8 0-9 1-3 1-29 hours 4.2 4.0 3-5 3-4 3-6 3-8 4.1 4.8 4.0 4.2 3-8 3-7 4.1 30-39 hours 4-7 4.4 4.2 4.3 4. g 4. g 4. g 5.1 4.6 4.6 4.0 4.0 4.0 i+O—M-9 hours 26.1 26.5 27.1 27.4 27.6 27-9 28.2 26.9 27.8 27.8 27.O 26.2 27-3 50-59 hours 5.1 5.1 5.3 5-6 4.7 5-2 5-5 4.7 5.6 5-9 5-8 6.1 5-8 60 hours and over 9.1 9.2 8.9 g.g 8-9 7-8 7-0 6.1 6.5 7-5 9-3 10.7 10. g Average hours2/ 45-7 44.3 44.4 45.1 45.1 44.5 44.1 42.7 44.0 44.5 45-9 46.9 46.7 Nonagricultural employment 39.3 40.2 4o.g 40.2 4o.9 41.2 41.9 4o.7 4i.o 42.0 41.4 4i.4 4i.g 0 hoursl/ 0.9 1.6 1-7 0.7 0.5 0.5 0.5 1.0 0.7 0.7 0.7 O.g 1.2 1-29 hours 3.0 3.0 2.8 2. g 2.9 3.0 3-2 3-5 3-1 3-4 3-1 2-9 3-0 30-39 hours 3.5 3.3 3-4 3-6 4.0 4.0 4.0 3-6 3-7 3-8 3-3 3-3 3-1 40-49 hours 24.4 24.7 25.4 25-5 26.0 26.3 26.1 24.9 25.8 26.0 25.6 24.9 25-3 50-59 hours 3-4 3-4 3-4 3-5 3-3 3.5 4.0 3-8 4.1 4.2 4.2 4.7 4-5 60 hours and over 4.1 4.2 4.1 4.1 4.2 3-9 4.1 3.9 3-6 3-9 4-5 4.8 •-.7 Average hours2/ 43.0 42.0 42.0 42. g 43.1 42.7 43.0 42.3 42.8 42.8 43-5 44.1 4g.g Agricultural employment 10.9 10.7 10.2 10.1 9.3 9-0 8.3 g. 2 g.4 8-9 9-3 10.2 11-5 0 hoursl/ 0.1 0.1 0.3 0.1 0.1 0.2 0.1 0.3 0.2 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.1 1-29 hours 1.2 1.0 0.7 0.6 0.7 O.g 0-9 1-3 0.9 0.8 0.7 0.8 1.1 30-39 hours 1.2 1.1 o.g 0.7 o.g O.g o.g 1-5 0.9 0.8 0-7 0.7 0-9 4-0-4-9 hours 1.7 l.g 1-7 1..9 1.6 1.6 2.1 2.0 2.0 l.g 1.4 1-3 2.0 50-59 hours 1.7 1-7 1-9 2.1 1.4 1.7 1-5 0.9 1-5 1-7 1.6 1.4 1-3 60 hours and over 5.0 5-0 4.g 4-7 4.7 3.9 2.9 2.2 2-9 3-6 4.g 5-9 6.1 Average hours?./ 55-4 52-9 53-9 54.0 54.1 52.6 49.9 45.1 49-9 52.5 56.7 58.4 57-2 illness, bad weather conditions, or temporary layoff with definite instructions t specific date. Also includes farmers who did not work during the census week. 2jThe average is a mean, computed from a distribution of single hours of work, did not work during the census week were classified in a separate group, "0 hours e of vacation, temporary 0 return to work by a Persons who had a job but ," in computing the mean.