In a recent social media post, independent presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. claimed that all of the country’s recent job gains have come from increases in part-time positions. However, a closer look at the data reveals a more nuanced picture of the situation.
Kennedy’s assertion that the job growth in the last year was entirely due to part-time jobs is based on data from February 2023 to February 2024. During this period, the net increase in part-time jobs exceeded the net increase in total jobs. While this may be true for that specific yearlong period, economists caution against focusing on data from just one time frame.
Economists point out that the federal government uses two different surveys to measure employment – one that queries businesses and another that examines households. The household survey, which measures whether Americans are working full-time or part-time, tends to have more volatile results from month to month. Therefore, economists rely more on the business survey for measuring total employment.
When looking at a broader time frame, such as from January 2023 to January 2024, the data shows a different trend. During this period, overall employment rose by 1 million while part-time employment rose by 559,000. Additionally, when considering the entirety of President Biden’s tenure, from February 2021 to February 2024, overall employment increased by 10.8 million, with part-time employment rising by less than 2.9 million. This means that part-time jobs accounted for about one-quarter of overall job growth during Biden’s presidency, not all of it as Kennedy claimed.
Furthermore, it’s important to note that an increase in part-time jobs does not necessarily reflect negatively on the economy. Federal data distinguishes between people working part-time for economic reasons and those working part-time for noneconomic reasons. While an increase in the former group may be concerning, an increase in the latter group, which includes students, parents, retirees, and those seeking a better work-life balance, is seen as positive.
Economist Lonnie Golden from Penn State University highlights that voluntary part-time workers often report higher levels of health, happiness with work, and satisfaction with work schedules compared to full-time workers or those working part-time out of economic necessity. The number of new part-time jobs taken out of economic necessity is actually a minority, with part-time jobs for economic reasons accounting for fewer than 1 in 6 part-time jobs since the second half of 2021.
In conclusion, while Kennedy’s statement about job growth being entirely from part-time positions is partially accurate for a specific time frame, it overlooks important context and trends. Economists caution against cherry-picking data and emphasize the need to consider a broader perspective when analyzing employment trends. Ultimately, the increase in part-time jobs, particularly those taken voluntarily, may not be a negative indicator for the economy.
