Labor Day began in 1882 as the start of the labor movement and celebrates the social and economic achievements of American workers on the first Monday of September each year. Here are some interesting facts about the U.S. labor force:
- In May 2009 there were 155.1 million people (age 16 and up) in the labor force.
- The professions with the most workers include teachers, customer service representatives, registered nurses, computer software engineers, chief executives, and janitors and building cleaners.
- There are 10.3 million independent contractors.
- 7.7 million people hold down more than one job.
- 28% work more than 40 hours per week, and 8% work more than 60 hours per week.
Find out more interesting facts about the U.S. labor force, and happy Labor Day!
