Economic Letter
Brief summaries of SF Fed economic research that explain in reader-friendly terms what our work means for the people we serve.
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Signs of Cyclical Weakness in Part-Time Employment?
Greeshma Avaradi, Stephie Fried, Toby Graf, Marianna Kudlyak
Involuntary part-time employment—the share of people who work less than 35 hours per week but want and are available to work full-time—has increased since 2023. While this contrasts with steady declines during previous cyclical expansions, it is consistent with the recent rise in unemployment. Examining worker transitions shows that fewer workers have found full-time work and a growing number have remained stuck in part-time employment. Though levels are only slightly elevated since 2023, this pattern may hint at emerging cyclical weakness in the labor market.
