US Multiple Jobholding Hits 24-Year High Amid Cost-of-Living Squeeze
The share of American workers holding multiple jobs reached 5.8% in November - the highest level since December 1999 - as stagnant wages fail to keep pace with inflation. Bureau of Labor Statistics data reveals this K-shaped economic reality: while high earners thrive, lower-income households increasingly resort to moonlighting to make ends meet.
Economists attribute the trend to real wage declines among bottom-tier workers, with living costs rising 17.8% since 2020 compared to just 13.6% wage growth for the lowest quartile. "This isn't side hustle culture - it's survival economics," notes Dean Baker of CEPR. The phenomenon may intensify when December figures release, potentially exceeding the current 24-year peak.