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Cyclical Variation in Labor Hours and Productivity Using the ATUS

Author

Listed:
  • Burda, Michael C.

    (Humboldt University Berlin)

  • Hamermesh, Daniel S.

    (University of Texas at Austin)

  • Stewart, Jay

    (U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics)

Abstract

We examine monthly variation in weekly work hours using data for 2003-10 from the Current Population Survey (CPS) on hours/worker, from the Current Employment Survey (CES) on hours/job, and from the American Time Use Survey (ATUS) on both. The ATUS data minimize recall difficulties and constrain hours of work to accord with total available time. The ATUS hours/worker are less cyclical than the CPS series, but the hours/job are more cyclical than the CES series. We present alternative estimates of productivity based on ATUS data and find that it is more pro-cyclical than other productivity measures.

Suggested Citation

  • Burda, Michael C. & Hamermesh, Daniel S. & Stewart, Jay, 2012. "Cyclical Variation in Labor Hours and Productivity Using the ATUS," IZA Discussion Papers 7070, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    • Handle: RePEc:iza:izadps:dp7070
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Jordi Galí & Thijs van Rens, 2021. "The Vanishing Procyclicality of Labour Productivity [Why have business cycle fluctuations become less volatile?]," The Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 131(633), pages 302-326.
    2. Harley Frazis & Jay Stewart, 2010. "Why Do BLS Hours Series Tell Different Stories About Trends in Hours Worked?," NBER Chapters, in: Labor in the New Economy, pages 343-372, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    3. Ellen R. McGrattan & Edward C. Prescott, 2012. "The Labor Productivity Puzzle," Book Chapters, in: Lee E. Ohanian & John B. Taylor & Ian J. Wright (ed.), Government Policies and the Delayed Economic Recovery, chapter 6, Hoover Institution, Stanford University.
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    5. Mark A. Aguiar & Erik Hurst & Loukas Karabarbounis, 2011. "Time Use During Recessions," NBER Working Papers 17259, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    6. Burda, Michael & Wyplosz, Charles, 2017. "Macroeconomics: a European Text," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, edition 7, number 9780198737513.
    7. Harley Frazis & Jay Stewart, 2010. "Why Do BLS Hours Series Tell Different Stories About Trends in Hours Worked?," NBER Chapters, in: Labor in the New Economy, pages 343-372, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    8. Marcus Hagedorn & Iourii Manovskii, 2011. "Productivity And The Labor Market: Comovement Over The Business Cycle," International Economic Review, Department of Economics, University of Pennsylvania and Osaka University Institute of Social and Economic Research Association, vol. 52(3), pages 603-619, August.
    9. Katharine G. Abraham & James R. Spletzer & Michael Harper, 2010. "Labor in the New Economy," NBER Books, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc, number abra08-1.
    10. Daniel S. Hamermesh & Harley Frazis & Jay Stewart, 2005. "Data Watch: The American Time Use Survey," Journal of Economic Perspectives, American Economic Association, vol. 19(1), pages 221-232, Winter.
    11. Fay, Jon A & Medoff, James L, 1985. "Labor and Output over the Business Cycle: Some Direct Evidence," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 75(4), pages 638-655, September.
    12. Casey B. Mulligan, 2011. "Rising Labor Productivity during the 2008-9 Recession," NBER Working Papers 17584, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
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    Cited by:

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    2. Daniel S. Hamermesh & Katie R. Genadek & Michael C. Burda, 2021. "Racial/Ethnic Differences in Non-Work at Work," ILR Review, Cornell University, ILR School, vol. 74(2), pages 272-292, March.
    3. Jordi Galí & Thijs van Rens, 2021. "The Vanishing Procyclicality of Labour Productivity [Why have business cycle fluctuations become less volatile?]," The Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 131(633), pages 302-326.
    4. repec:hum:wpaper:sfb649dp2017-019 is not listed on IDEAS
    5. Hamermesh, Daniel S. & Burda, Michael & Genadek, Katie R., 2015. "Not Working At Work: Loafing, Unemployment and Labor Productivity," CEPR Discussion Papers 10712, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    6. Scharadin, Benjamin, 2022. "The efficacy of the dependent care deduction at maintaining diet quality," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 107(C).
    7. Burda, Michael & Hamermesh, Daniel S. & Genadek, Katie R., 2017. "Non-Work at Work, Unemployment and Labor Productivity," CEPR Discussion Papers 12087, C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers.
    8. Michael C. Burda, 2018. "Aggregate labor productivity," IZA World of Labor, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA), pages 435-435, April.
    9. Jay Stewart & Harley Frazis, 2019. "The importance and challenges of measuring work hours," IZA World of Labor, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA), pages 1-95, July.
    10. repec:hum:wpaper:sfb649dp2015-033 is not listed on IDEAS
    11. Poeschel, Friedrich, 2012. "Assortative matching through signals," VfS Annual Conference 2012 (Goettingen): New Approaches and Challenges for the Labor Market of the 21st Century 62061, Verein für Socialpolitik / German Economic Association.
    12. Ivan D. Trofimov, 2024. "Is Business Cycle Gender Neutral? An Analysis of Aggregate and Sectoral Working Hours in Canadian Economy," Journal of Economics, Race, and Policy, Springer, vol. 7(3), pages 164-194, September.
    13. Michael C. Burda & Katie R. Genadek & Daniel S. Hamermesh, 2020. "Unemployment and Effort at Work," Economica, London School of Economics and Political Science, vol. 87(347), pages 662-681, July.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    work hours; macroeconomic fluctuations; time use;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E23 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Production
    • J22 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Demand and Supply of Labor - - - Time Allocation and Labor Supply

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