Number of people employed part time for economic reasons up 1.4 million in March 2020

In March 2020, 5.8 million workers were employed part time for economic reasons, an increase of 1.4 million from the previous month. These workers, who would have preferred full-time employment, were working part time because their hours had been reduced or they were unable to find full-time jobs.

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Chart Data Number of people employed part time for economic reasons, January 2000–March 2020, seasonally adjusted Month Total, part time for economic reasons Slack work or business conditions Could only find part-time work Jan 2000 3,208,000 1,914,000 1,007,000 Feb 2000 3,167,000 1,855,000 1,006,000 Mar 2000 3,231,000 1,878,000 990,000 Apr 2000 3,186,000 1,886,000 1,008,000 May 2000 3,283,000 1,967,000 989,000 Jun 2000 3,209,000 1,906,000 1,001,000 Jul 2000 3,144,000 1,914,000 930,000 Aug 2000 3,211,000 2,014,000 905,000 Sep 2000 3,217,000 2,081,000 822,000 Oct 2000 3,179,000 1,871,000 928,000 Nov 2000 3,467,000 2,216,000 880,000 Dec 2000 3,243,000 2,003,000 908,000 Jan 2001 3,332,000 2,086,000 924,000 Feb 2001 3,296,000 2,080,000 911,000 Mar 2001 3,280,000 1,968,000 941,000 Apr 2001 3,289,000 2,146,000 891,000 May 2001 3,439,000 2,239,000 940,000 Jun 2001 3,792,000 2,383,000 1,052,000 Jul 2001 3,556,000 2,194,000 1,025,000 Aug 2001 3,380,000 2,124,000 953,000 Sep 2001 4,233,000 2,895,000 1,040,000 Oct 2001 4,437,000 2,981,000 1,093,000 Nov 2001 4,317,000 2,896,000 1,110,000 Dec 2001 4,393,000 2,896,000 1,211,000 Jan 2002 4,112,000 2,670,000 1,069,000 Feb 2002 4,289,000 2,817,000 1,108,000 Mar 2002 4,101,000 2,725,000 1,084,000 Apr 2002 4,199,000 2,742,000 1,127,000 May 2002 4,103,000 2,692,000 1,102,000 Jun 2002 4,048,000 2,709,000 1,101,000 Jul 2002 4,145,000 2,776,000 1,101,000 Aug 2002 4,301,000 2,899,000 1,167,000 Sep 2002 4,329,000 2,791,000 1,169,000 Oct 2002 4,314,000 2,881,000 1,134,000 Nov 2002 4,329,000 2,835,000 1,170,000 Dec 2002 4,321,000 2,901,000 1,170,000 Jan 2003 4,607,000 3,035,000 1,248,000 Feb 2003 4,844,000 3,156,000 1,263,000 Mar 2003 4,652,000 3,101,000 1,211,000 Apr 2003 4,798,000 3,218,000 1,247,000 May 2003 4,570,000 3,065,000 1,252,000 Jun 2003 4,592,000 3,155,000 1,267,000 Jul 2003 4,648,000 3,154,000 1,270,000 Aug 2003 4,419,000 3,008,000 1,207,000 Sep 2003 4,882,000 3,134,000 1,344,000 Oct 2003 4,813,000 2,983,000 1,378,000 Nov 2003 4,862,000 3,186,000 1,369,000 Dec 2003 4,750,000 3,201,000 1,287,000 Jan 2004 4,705,000 2,940,000 1,431,000 Feb 2004 4,549,000 2,884,000 1,376,000 Mar 2004 4,742,000 3,025,000 1,445,000 Apr 2004 4,568,000 2,836,000 1,442,000 May 2004 4,588,000 2,798,000 1,465,000 Jun 2004 4,443,000 2,798,000 1,378,000 Jul 2004 4,449,000 2,661,000 1,464,000 Aug 2004 4,474,000 2,780,000 1,379,000 Sep 2004 4,487,000 2,792,000 1,295,000 Oct 2004 4,820,000 3,055,000 1,372,000 Nov 2004 4,547,000 2,752,000 1,428,000 Dec 2004 4,427,000 2,739,000 1,413,000 Jan 2005 4,389,000 2,722,000 1,348,000 Feb 2005 4,250,000 2,631,000 1,274,000 Mar 2005 4,388,000 2,689,000 1,450,000 Apr 2005 4,278,000 2,621,000 1,365,000 May 2005 4,315,000 2,678,000 1,356,000 Jun 2005 4,432,000 2,654,000 1,397,000 Jul 2005 4,400,000 2,766,000 1,340,000 Aug 2005 4,491,000 2,743,000 1,420,000 Sep 2005 4,675,000 2,922,000 1,358,000 Oct 2005 4,269,000 2,651,000 1,289,000 Nov 2005 4,219,000 2,612,000 1,259,000 Dec 2005 4,115,000 2,551,000 1,216,000 Jan 2006 4,123,000 2,623,000 1,232,000 Feb 2006 4,174,000 2,656,000 1,214,000 Mar 2006 3,972,000 2,513,000 1,171,000 Apr 2006 3,900,000 2,435,000 1,154,000 May 2006 4,111,000 2,657,000 1,144,000 Jun 2006 4,318,000 2,737,000 1,190,000 Jul 2006 4,303,000 2,715,000 1,197,000 Aug 2006 4,195,000 2,687,000 1,187,000 Sep 2006 4,115,000 2,635,000 1,179,000 Oct 2006 4,352,000 2,842,000 1,205,000 Nov 2006 4,190,000 2,732,000 1,171,000 Dec 2006 4,187,000 2,684,000 1,225,000 Jan 2007 4,279,000 2,759,000 1,197,000 Feb 2007 4,220,000 2,719,000 1,204,000 Mar 2007 4,253,000 2,780,000 1,177,000 Apr 2007 4,313,000 2,830,000 1,210,000 May 2007 4,473,000 2,941,000 1,248,000 Jun 2007 4,342,000 2,805,000 1,200,000 Jul 2007 4,410,000 2,777,000 1,268,000 Aug 2007 4,576,000 2,974,000 1,184,000 Sep 2007 4,521,000 3,012,000 1,170,000 Oct 2007 4,325,000 2,787,000 1,225,000 Nov 2007 4,494,000 3,009,000 1,214,000 Dec 2007 4,618,000 3,143,000 1,221,000 Jan 2008 4,846,000 3,324,000 1,147,000 Feb 2008 4,902,000 3,297,000 1,230,000 Mar 2008 4,904,000 3,325,000 1,292,000 Apr 2008 5,220,000 3,573,000 1,302,000 May 2008 5,286,000 3,644,000 1,288,000 Jun 2008 5,540,000 3,911,000 1,381,000 Jul 2008 5,930,000 4,307,000 1,386,000 Aug 2008 5,851,000 4,186,000 1,403,000 Sep 2008 6,148,000 4,290,000 1,572,000 Oct 2008 6,690,000 4,836,000 1,520,000 Nov 2008 7,311,000 5,433,000 1,567,000 Dec 2008 8,029,000 5,997,000 1,590,000 Jan 2009 8,046,000 6,019,000 1,676,000 Feb 2009 8,796,000 6,602,000 1,796,000 Mar 2009 9,145,000 6,972,000 1,815,000 Apr 2009 8,908,000 6,755,000 1,775,000 May 2009 9,113,000 6,838,000 1,935,000 Jun 2009 9,024,000 6,772,000 2,100,000 Jul 2009 8,891,000 6,902,000 1,920,000 Aug 2009 9,029,000 6,760,000 2,042,000 Sep 2009 8,847,000 6,494,000 2,028,000 Oct 2009 8,979,000 6,681,000 2,018,000 Nov 2009 9,114,000 6,610,000 2,162,000 Dec 2009 9,098,000 6,392,000 2,284,000 Jan 2010 8,530,000 6,036,000 2,254,000 Feb 2010 8,936,000 6,281,000 2,257,000 Mar 2010 9,233,000 6,362,000 2,423,000 Apr 2010 9,178,000 6,330,000 2,453,000 May 2010 8,845,000 6,168,000 2,319,000 Jun 2010 8,577,000 6,101,000 2,273,000 Jul 2010 8,500,000 6,122,000 2,325,000 Aug 2010 8,800,000 6,246,000 2,288,000 Sep 2010 9,246,000 6,419,000 2,391,000 Oct 2010 8,837,000 5,968,000 2,477,000 Nov 2010 8,873,000 5,962,000 2,471,000 Dec 2010 8,935,000 6,039,000 2,482,000 Jan 2011 8,470,000 5,827,000 2,457,000 Feb 2011 8,464,000 5,675,000 2,451,000 Mar 2011 8,645,000 5,810,000 2,421,000 Apr 2011 8,652,000 5,748,000 2,515,000 May 2011 8,576,000 5,916,000 2,430,000 Jun 2011 8,427,000 5,668,000 2,485,000 Jul 2011 8,281,000 5,598,000 2,506,000 Aug 2011 8,788,000 5,803,000 2,673,000 Sep 2011 9,166,000 5,768,000 2,824,000 Oct 2011 8,657,000 5,718,000 2,493,000 Nov 2011 8,447,000 5,560,000 2,464,000 Dec 2011 8,171,000 5,399,000 2,406,000 Jan 2012 8,305,000 5,443,000 2,570,000 Feb 2012 8,238,000 5,489,000 2,416,000 Mar 2012 7,775,000 5,189,000 2,379,000 Apr 2012 7,913,000 5,181,000 2,431,000 May 2012 8,101,000 5,216,000 2,591,000 Jun 2012 8,072,000 5,296,000 2,502,000 Jul 2012 8,082,000 5,224,000 2,561,000 Aug 2012 7,974,000 5,238,000 2,469,000 Sep 2012 8,671,000 5,555,000 2,622,000 Oct 2012 8,203,000 5,109,000 2,630,000 Nov 2012 8,166,000 5,108,000 2,697,000 Dec 2012 7,943,000 4,963,000 2,624,000 Jan 2013 8,151,000 5,205,000 2,638,000 Feb 2013 8,178,000 5,237,000 2,541,000 Mar 2013 7,722,000 4,932,000 2,511,000 Apr 2013 7,964,000 5,098,000 2,513,000 May 2013 7,937,000 4,866,000 2,643,000 Jun 2013 8,103,000 5,066,000 2,637,000 Jul 2013 8,099,000 5,058,000 2,697,000 Aug 2013 7,816,000 4,734,000 2,671,000 Sep 2013 7,764,000 5,009,000 2,580,000 Oct 2013 7,936,000 5,023,000 2,639,000 Nov 2013 7,718,000 4,893,000 2,531,000 Dec 2013 7,827,000 4,874,000 2,617,000 Jan 2014 7,296,000 4,471,000 2,562,000 Feb 2014 7,299,000 4,337,000 2,659,000 Mar 2014 7,435,000 4,448,000 2,662,000 Apr 2014 7,509,000 4,506,000 2,624,000 May 2014 7,254,000 4,419,000 2,411,000 Jun 2014 7,422,000 4,398,000 2,679,000 Jul 2014 7,402,000 4,535,000 2,560,000 Aug 2014 7,177,000 4,169,000 2,622,000 Sep 2014 7,020,000 4,202,000 2,571,000 Oct 2014 7,025,000 4,279,000 2,447,000 Nov 2014 6,898,000 4,112,000 2,429,000 Dec 2014 6,856,000 4,060,000 2,422,000 Jan 2015 6,808,000 4,028,000 2,415,000 Feb 2015 6,665,000 3,842,000 2,408,000 Mar 2015 6,633,000 4,043,000 2,253,000 Apr 2015 6,611,000 3,864,000 2,391,000 May 2015 6,634,000 3,916,000 2,320,000 Jun 2015 6,388,000 3,799,000 2,217,000 Jul 2015 6,253,000 3,773,000 2,233,000 Aug 2015 6,418,000 3,752,000 2,300,000 Sep 2015 6,042,000 3,594,000 2,102,000 Oct 2015 5,813,000 3,360,000 2,179,000 Nov 2015 6,170,000 3,594,000 2,232,000 Dec 2015 6,075,000 3,587,000 2,173,000 Jan 2016 5,934,000 3,540,000 2,090,000 Feb 2016 5,967,000 3,551,000 2,111,000 Mar 2016 6,070,000 3,630,000 2,109,000 Apr 2016 6,014,000 3,736,000 2,003,000 May 2016 6,480,000 3,973,000 2,064,000 Jun 2016 5,759,000 3,366,000 2,073,000 Jul 2016 5,937,000 3,656,000 1,969,000 Aug 2016 5,986,000 3,671,000 1,964,000 Sep 2016 5,917,000 3,647,000 1,924,000 Oct 2016 5,965,000 3,561,000 2,118,000 Nov 2016 5,728,000 3,539,000 1,886,000 Dec 2016 5,618,000 3,386,000 1,867,000 Jan 2017 5,734,000 3,532,000 1,920,000 Feb 2017 5,585,000 3,501,000 1,871,000 Mar 2017 5,463,000 3,357,000 1,832,000 Apr 2017 5,293,000 3,168,000 1,762,000 May 2017 5,257,000 3,116,000 1,783,000 Jun 2017 5,283,000 3,214,000 1,738,000 Jul 2017 5,301,000 3,188,000 1,747,000 Aug 2017 5,225,000 3,253,000 1,648,000 Sep 2017 5,177,000 3,165,000 1,694,000 Oct 2017 4,895,000 2,991,000 1,631,000 Nov 2017 4,848,000 3,010,000 1,519,000 Dec 2017 4,985,000 3,090,000 1,561,000 Jan 2018 4,951,000 2,961,000 1,667,000 Feb 2018 5,097,000 3,276,000 1,562,000 Mar 2018 4,981,000 2,963,000 1,657,000 Apr 2018 4,969,000 2,964,000 1,558,000 May 2018 4,952,000 3,070,000 1,486,000 Jun 2018 4,762,000 3,012,000 1,455,000 Jul 2018 4,619,000 2,909,000 1,428,000 Aug 2018 4,356,000 2,558,000 1,349,000 Sep 2018 4,654,000 2,847,000 1,450,000 Oct 2018 4,599,000 2,824,000 1,448,000 Nov 2018 4,754,000 2,898,000 1,559,000 Dec 2018 4,655,000 2,895,000 1,487,000 Jan 2019 5,105,000 3,402,000 1,413,000 Feb 2019 4,302,000 2,779,000 1,349,000 Mar 2019 4,517,000 2,887,000 1,347,000 Apr 2019 4,706,000 2,868,000 1,447,000 May 2019 4,375,000 2,647,000 1,341,000 Jun 2019 4,350,000 2,704,000 1,338,000 Jul 2019 3,973,000 2,392,000 1,357,000 Aug 2019 4,381,000 2,683,000 1,338,000 Sep 2019 4,336,000 2,600,000 1,310,000 Oct 2019 4,397,000 2,747,000 1,278,000 Nov 2019 4,288,000 2,634,000 1,259,000 Dec 2019 4,148,000 2,657,000 1,215,000 Jan 2020 4,182,000 2,655,000 1,294,000 Feb 2020 4,318,000 2,776,000 1,317,000 Mar 2020 5,765,000 4,043,000 1,321,000

Virtually all of the increase in the number of people who were employed part time for economic reasons occurred in the slack work component—that is, among workers who indicated their reason for working part time was slack work or business conditions. There was little change in the number of part-time workers who indicated they could only find part-time work.

The over-the-month increase in people working part time for economic reasons was particularly large among workers in accommodation and food services and among the self-employed.

These data are from the Current Population Survey and are seasonally adjusted. For more information, see “The Employment Situation — March 2020.” More charts featuring Current Population Survey data are presented in charts related to the latest "The Employment Situation" news release. Also see The impact of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic on The Employment Situation for March 2020. Employed people who would prefer to work full time (35 hours or more per week) but indicated that they had worked fewer than 35 hours during the week because of slack work or business conditions, including those due to pandemic-related business closures or cut backs, were classified as employed part time for economic reasons.

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