Introduction: Why Working Hours?

The length of work matters to both workers and employers. What happens to output when hours are extended? What happens to a worker’s well-being when hours are extended? What fraction of workers work long hours today and who are these workers? As the book’s introduction, the author explains his approach to these questions, the types of evidence he presents in later chapters, and his arguments for why some common approaches to this subject neglect confounding issues. A principal goal of the research presented in this monograph is to document the consequences of long working hours. Statistical analysis of hours in augmented with testimonies from workers.