NPR: Many Americans Working Harder For Less

[Omaha Steve]

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=129682977

September 6, 2010

Unemployment continues to hover above 9 percent. But for the 90 percent of the U.S. workforce with jobs, the recession's impact on paychecks is a mixed bag. Fewer co-workers can mean more hours for some, but for others, a cut in pay or perks. Reporters Steven Greenhouse and magazine editor Lamar Graham discuss the state of the American paycheck.

JENNIFER LUDDEN, host:

This is TALK OF THE NATION. I'm Jennifer Ludden in Washington. Neal Conan is away.

There are many ways to measure the impact of the recession on individual Americans. The clearest marker of economic pain is probably the unemployment rate, stuck at nearly 10 percent and unlikely to budge for some time.

But for the 90 percent of Americans in the workforce who still have a job, the economic downturn can often be measured another way, in their paycheck.

For some employees, as colleagues have been fired, the workday has become longer. For others, a job in the great recession has meant a career change or a detour, and with this can come a pay cut.

On this Labor Day, we want to know what's happened to your paycheck during the great recession. Our number here in Washington is 800-989-8255, our email address [e-mail]. And you can also join the conversation at our website. Go to npr.org, and click on TALK OF THE NATION.

Later this hour, the buzz about the DEA's efforts to hire Ebonics translators. We'll talk with John McWhorter on The Opinion Page.

FULL story at link.