Cyclical Variation in Labor Hours and Productivity Using the ATUS

Michael Burda, Daniel S. Hamermesh () and Jay Stewart ()
Additional contact information
Daniel S. Hamermesh: University of Texas at Austin
Jay Stewart: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics

No 7070, IZA Discussion Papers from Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)

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.

Keywords: work hours; macroeconomic fluctuations; time use (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: E23 J22 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 18 pages
Date: 2012-12
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-eff, nep-lab and nep-mac
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

Published - published in: American Economic Review: Papers & Proceedings, 2013, 103 (3), 99-104

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Related works:
Journal Article: Cyclical Variation in Labor Hours and Productivity Using the ATUS (2013)
Working Paper: Cyclical variation in labor hours and productivity using the ATUS (2013)
Working Paper: Cyclical Variation in Labor Hours and Productivity Using the ATUS (2012)
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