Many of the people who work where I work, for the local school district, have 2 and sometimes 3 jobs. That is because most of the jobs for the school district are part-time and the wages are low.

In addition to working for the school district, some people work at Wal-Mart stocking shelves at night, some people work in cleaning crews, and some people hold jobs that are part-time in nursing homes, hospitals, retail stores, restaurants and so forth. They somehow juggle the two or three jobs they have so that they do not conflict with each other. There are also a number of people who have small businesses to supplement their income or who do odd jobs as they can find them.

Additionally, there are people who work second jobs for cash, and so it is likely they are not included in the U.S. Bureau’s Labor Statistics. Yes, there have always been people who do this, but the point is that with the economy being so bad for many individuals and families, more people than ever are working multiple jobs, and some of those jobs are for cash, out of necessity.

If you are a person who has hardly noticed the downturn in this economy, be thankful and count your blessings. You are in the minority.

People who are holding 2 or more jobs in this economy are not unusual. In fact, according to the most recent available numbers from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, (2010 Census) in December of 2011 more than 7 million people in this country were holding 2 or more jobs. That’s 5% of the total workforce. Sometimes they are holding 2 full time jobs, sometimes one full-time and one part-time job, and sometimes it is 2 or more part-time jobs. More than half of all multiple job holders are women.

Since these statistics are several months old, it is reasonable to believe even more than 7 million workers in this country are holding 2 or more jobs because the economy has not improved appreciably since these statistics were published. In fact, the economy has gotten worse. The most recent job creation statistics from last month (July 2012) were dismal.

One reason things have not improved for people who are working full time, either at one job or several jobs combined, is that wages have not risen to keep up with higher prices for everything from rent to food to medical care, insurance, and pretty much everything.



