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Yes, Americans are overworked, according to statistical evidence. Among the 38 developed countries that comprise the OECD, the United States remains the only nation without a statutory minimum for annual leave. Other indicators of overwork among Americans include:
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All OECD countries, with the exception of the United States and South Korea, have statutory paid sick leave policies applicable to all full-time, and most part-time and temporary employees.
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The average OECD country mandates 18.6 weeks of paid maternity leave, with payment rates varying from 25% to 100% of the mother’s usual salary. The United States stands out as the only OECD nation without any mandated paid parental leave.
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In 1970, 31% of two-parent households in the U.S. had both parents working full-time. By 2022, this number had risen to 48%.
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The average American worker puts in 1,791 hours annually, compared to the OECD average of 1,715.8 hours.
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10.4% of American adults work 50 or more hours per week on average, ranking the U.S. 11th among OECD countries and 49% above the average of the bloc.
Days of Annual Leave in OECD Countries (Working Days)
| Country | Statutory Minimum | Public Holidays |
|---|---|---|
| United Kingdom | 28 | 8 |
| Luxembourg | 26 | 11 |
| Austria | 25 | 13 |
| Denmark | 25 | 11 |
| Finland | 25 | 11 |
| France | 25 | 11 |
| Sweden | 25 | 11 |
| Iceland | 24 | 12 |
| Malta | 24 | 14 |
| Portugal | 22 | 12 |
| Spain | 22 | 14 |
| Norway | 21 | 10 |
| Australia | 20 | 8 |
| Belgium | 20 | 10 |
| Czech Republic | 20 | 13 |
| Estonia | 20 | 11 |
| Germany | 20 | 10-13 |
| Greece | 20 | 11 |
| Hungary | 20 | 11 |
| Ireland | 20 | 9 |
| Italy | 20 | 12 |
| Latvia | 20 | 12 |
| Netherlands | 20 | 9 |
| New Zealand | 20 | 11 |
| Poland | 20 | 12 |
| Slovak Republic | 20 | 15 |
| Slovenia | 20 | 12 |
| Switzerland | 20 | 9 |
| Bulgaria | 20 | 12 |
| Croatia | 20 | 13 |
| Cyprus | 20 | 14-17 |
| Lithuania | 20 | 12 |
| Romania | 20 | 13 |
| Chile | 15 | 15 |
| South Korea | 15 | 15 |
| Israel | 12 | 9 |
| Turkey | 12 | 14 |
| Canada | 10 | 9 |
| Japan | 10 | 19 |
| Costa Rica | 10 | 11 |
| Mexico | 6 | 7 |
| United States | 0 | 10 |
Percentage of Employees Working an Average of 50+ Hours per Week in OECD Countries
| Country | Percentage Of Employees |
|---|---|
| Mexico | 27% |
| Turkey | 25% |
| South Korea | 19.70% |
| Japan | 15.70% |
| South Africa | 15.40% |
| Israel | 14.10% |
| New Zealand | 14% |
| Australia | 12.50% |
| Iceland | 11.70% |
| United Kingdom | 10.80% |
| United States | 10.40% |
| Chile | 7.70% |
| France | 7.70% |
| Brazil | 5.60% |
| Portugal | 5.60% |
| Slovenia | 5.60% |
| Austria | 5.30% |
| Ireland | 4.70% |
| Czech Republic | 4.50% |
| Greece | 4.50% |
| Belgium | 4.30% |
| Poland | 4.20% |
| Slovak Republic | 4.20% |
| Germany | 3.90% |
| Finland | 3.60% |
| Canada | 3.30% |
| Italy | 3.30% |
| Luxembourg | 2.80% |
| Spain | 2.50% |
| Estonia | 2.20% |
| Latvia | 1.60% |
| Hungary | 1.50% |
| Norway | 1.40% |
| Denmark | 1.10% |
| Sweden | 0.90% |
| Switzerland | 0.40% |
| Netherlands | 0.30% |
| Russia | 0.10% |
Is the U.S. the Most Overworked Country?
No, the U.S. is not the most overworked country based on hours worked per employee. While 10.4% of Americans work an average of 50 or more hours per week, this figure pales in comparison to the 27% of Mexican adults logging these long hours.
Moreover, workers in Mexico average 2,127.8 working hours annually, outpacing America’s average of 1,791 hours per worker.
However, by certain metrics, the U.S. may be viewed as the most overworked nation. Notably, it is the only developed country globally without mandated paid leave or paid parental leave, and one of just two countries lacking mandated paid sick leave.
References
Hours worked – OECD
Parental leave systems – OECD
Work-Life Balance – OECD
Raising Kids and Running a Household: How Working Parents Share the Load – Pew Research Center
Author
Matthew Zane is the lead editor of Zippia's How To Get A Job Guides. He is a teacher, writer, and world-traveler that wants to help people at every stage of the career life cycle. He completed his masters in American Literature from Trinity College Dublin and BA in English from the University of Connecticut.
