As Labor Day approaches, it is a time to both celebrate American workers and take a critical look at how they have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Though the U.S. is slowly regaining lost jobs, the national unemployment rate is still far higher than normal, at 10.2% as of July 2020. The frighteningly high level of unemployment, combined with the continued spread of coronavirus and its devastating economic impact, has led many American workers to wonder whether they’ll be the next to get laid off.
In light of the financial struggles faced by workers across the U.S. and in recognition of Labor Day, WalletHub conducted a nationally representative survey, which found that nearly 1 in 3 Americans worry about job security. In addition to examining how the COVID-19 pandemic has impacted Americans’ finances, WalletHub’s survey also took stock of people’s plans for Labor Day. Below are highlights from the survey, along with commentary from a panel of experts and a description of our methodology.
Key Stats
- Americans want extended COVID-19 relief. 74 percent of people think that Congress should continue to give extra unemployment benefits until the pandemic ends.
- Fear over Labor Day crowds. 77 percent of Americans do not trust others to be responsible with social distancing over Labor Day Weekend.
- Harder work than usual. Half of Americans think they've worked harder since the pandemic began.
- Americans worry about layoffs. Nearly 1 in 3 Americans are concerned about their job security this Labor Day.
Ask the Experts
For additional insight into the state of the workforce this Labor Day, WalletHub turned to a panel of experts. Click on the pictures of the experts below to see their bios and responses to the following key questions:
- WalletHub’s survey found that 75% of people will not travel this Labor Day weekend; what impact will that have on small businesses throughout the country?
- Why do you think half of the survey respondents feel they have worked harder since the coronavirus pandemic began?
- Nearly 4 in 10 people believe that management has taken advantage of labor during the pandemic - are they right?
- What advice do you have for the 1 in 3 Americans worried about their job security this Labor Day?
Ask the Experts
- Robert Bruno
Ph.D. – Professor & Director, School of Labor and Employment Relations, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
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- John Russo
Ph.D. – Visiting Scholar, Kalmanovitz Initiative for Labor and Working Poor, Georgetown University and Managing Editor, Working-Class Perspectives
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- Sanford M. Jacoby
Ph.D. – Distinguished Research Professor of Management, Public Policy, and History, University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA)
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- Evan W. Osborne
Ph.D. – Professor, Economics, Wright State University
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- Stewart J. Schwab
J.D., Ph.D. – Jonathan and Ruby Zhu Professor of Law, Cornell Law School, Cornell University
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- Donald G. Gardner
Professor of Management and Organization (Emeritus), College of Business and Administration, University of Colorado Colorado Springs
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Survey Methodology
This report reflects the results of a nationally representative online survey of over 400 respondents.
After we collected all responses, we normalized the data by age, gender and income so the sample would reflect U.S. demographics.
Full Details Overall
| Will you travel for Labor Day this year? | |
|---|---|
| No | 75% |
| Yes | 25% |
| Are you planning to go shopping over Labor Day weekend this year? | |
| No | 60% |
| Yes | 40% |
| Did you spend less or more money this summer than last summer? | |
| Less | 52% |
| More | 25% |
| Same | 23% |
| Do you trust other Americans to be responsible with social distancing over Labor Day Weekend? | |
| No | 77% |
| Yes | 23% |
| Have you worked harder since the coronavirus pandemic began? | |
| No | 51% |
| Yes | 49% |
| How do you think labor has been treated by management during the coronavirus pandemic? | |
| Treated fairly | 49% |
| Taken advantage of | 39% |
| Treated generously | 12% |
| Should Congress continue to give extra unemployment benefits until the pandemic ends? | |
| Yes | 74% |
| No | 26% |
| Are you concerned about your job security this Labor Day? | |
| No | 70% |
| Yes | 30% |
| What would make you feel comfortable going shopping this Labor Day Weekend? | |
| Everyone wearing face masks | 41% |
| Nothing will make me comfortable | 28% |
| I’m already comfortable | 20% |
| Everyone staying 6 feet apart | 11% |
| Has the pandemic given you new appreciation for owning your own car? | |
| Yes | 69% |
| No | 31% |
Note: Percentages may not total 100% due to rounding.