In hot weather, outdoor laborers work less -- when economy is growing


Date:
August 25, 2021
Source:
PLOS
Summary:
A new analysis suggests that U.S. workers in industries that
expose them to weather conditions work fewer hours per day when
temperatures surpass 90 degrees Fahrenheit -- but only during
periods of economic growth.



FULL STORY ==========================================================================
A new analysis suggests that U.S. workers in industries that expose
them to weather conditions work fewer hours per day when temperatures
surpass 90 degrees Fahrenheit -- but only during periods of economic
growth. Matthew Neidell of Columbia University, New York, and colleagues present these findings in the open-access journal PLOS ONE on August
25, 2021.


========================================================================== Earlier research conducted by Neidell and co-author Joshua Graff Zivin
of the University of California, San Diego, revealed an association
between extreme heat and fewer hours worked by people in weather-exposed conditions in the U.S.

However, that analysis was conducted during a four-year period of economic growth, so it was unclear whether the same relationship would hold up
over time or under different economic conditions.

To clarify, Neidell, Graff Zivin, and colleagues used historical weather records and data from the American Time Use Survey to analyze the
relationship between time worked per day and daily temperatures for the
period spanning 2003 through 2018. They focused on high-risk laborers,
meaning workers in industries that expose them to weather conditions,
such as agriculture, construction, and manufacturing.

The analysis showed that, when the U.S. economy was in a period of growth,
such as from 2003 to 2007 and from 2015 to 2018, high-risk laborers worked fewer hours on high-heat days. Specifically, on days above 90 degrees,
a high-risk laborer worked 2.6 minutes less on average for every degree
above 90 than they worked on a 90-degree day.

However, during the Great Recession, from 2008 to 2014, there was no association between high-heat days and daily hours worked -- perhaps, the authors suggest, because workers faced higher competition for employment
and employers were less flexible.

The researchers also used climate and economic projections to predict
the future effects of this relationship between heat and work time. They estimated that, in a "business-as-usual" scenario where greenhouse-gas emissions remain high, lost wages due to high-heat days could add up to
$80 billion per year by 2090.

Further research will be needed to confirm and clarify these findings
and predictions, which could help inform policies and adaptations to
address high- heat labor conditions.

The authors add: "Our findings support previous results that the amount
of time people work is affected by temperature, but the magnitude of
this relationship depends on where we are in the business cycle. During
hard economic times, work time is less sensitive to temperature
changes, suggesting the relative bargaining power of employers and
employees seems to influence who bears the costs of extreme heat." ========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by PLOS. Note: Content may be edited
for style and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Matthew Neidell, Joshua Graff Zivin, Megan Sheahan, Jacqueline
Willwerth,
Charles Fant, Marcus Sarofim, Jeremy Martinich. Temperature and
work: Time allocated to work under varying climate and labor
market conditions.

PLOS ONE, 2021; 16 (8): e0254224 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0254224 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/08/210825143020.htm

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