Temperature and work: Time allocated to work under varying climate and labor market conditions

Abstract

Workers in climate exposed industries such as agriculture, construction, and manufacturing face increased health risks of working on high temperature days and may make decisions to reduce work on high-heat days to mitigate this risk. Utilizing the American Time Use Survey (ATUS) for the period 2003 through 2018 and historical weather data, we model the relationship between daily temperature and time allocation, focusing on hours worked by high-risk laborers. The results indicate that labor allocation decisions are context specific and likely driven by supply-side factors. We do not find a significant relationship between temperature and hours worked during the Great Recession (2008–2014), perhaps due to high competition for employment, however during periods of economic growth (2003–2007, 2015–2018) we find a significant reduction in hours worked on high-heat days. During periods of economic growth, for every degree above 90 on a particular day, the average high-risk worker reduces their time devoted to work by about 2.6 minutes relative to a 90-degree day. This effect is expected to intensify in the future as temperatures rise. Applying the modeled relationships to climate projections through the end of century, we find that annual lost wages resulting from decreased time spent working on days over 90 degrees across the United States range from $36.7 to $80.0 billion in 2090 under intermediate and high emission futures, respectively.

Temperature and the Timing of Work

“…Moreover, most estimates are close to zero, except for extremely hot temperatures, where we observe a negative estimate. These findings are in line with the findings provided by prior research (Graff Zivin and Neidell, 2014;Neidell et al, 2021). Overall, the evidence presented in this section suggests that temperature does not significantly alter total working time.…”

“…Severe weather conditions, such as extreme heat or cold, can increase the disutility individuals experience during their working hours and have important implications for labor supply. A growing literature has studied the impact of temperature on the total time allocated to work (Graff Zivin and Neidell, 2014;Krüger and Neugart, 2018;Neidell et al, 2021;Somanathan et al, 2021) providing mixed evidence. 1 Temperature, however, may not only influence how much people work, but also when they work, that is, the timing of work within the day.…”

“…Beyond labor supply implications, there is evidence that extreme temperatures lead to lower productivity, economic growth, and output (Burke et al, 2015;Carleton and Hsiang, 2016;Chen and Yang, 2019;Dell et al, 2012;Dingel et al, 2019;Hsiang, 2010;Jain et al, 2020;LoPalo, 2023;Miller et al, 2021;Somanathan et al, 2021;Zhang et al, 2018). Moreover, extreme temperature conditions have been shown to have negative effects on wages and income per capita (Deryugina and Hsiang, 2014;Isen et al, 2017;Neidell et al, 2021), but a modest effect on agricultural profits (Deschênes and Greenstone, 2007). 2 The second related area of research concerns the importance of the timing of market and non-market activities.…”

Updated assessment of occupational safety and health hazards of climate change

“… Licker et al (2022) estimated that with a modest greenhouse gas emissions reduction, outdoor workers will be exposed to extreme heat conditions in the mid-twenty-first century which is triple that of the late twentieth century, with earnings of approximately $39.3 billion at risk annually. Neidell et al (2021) assessed that workers’ annual wage loss due to a reduction in time spent working on days with temperatures above 90°F across the United States will range from $36.7 to $80.0 billion in 2090 under intermediate and high emissions, respectively.…”

Cap. 22. Sureste. En: La Quinta Evaluación Nacional del Clima

“…Las interrupciones pueden impactar no solo la entrega de bienes y productos acabados a los clientes, sino también la producción y los medios de subsistencia de las personas que trabajan en empleos que dependen de materiales procedentes de otros lugares que pueden no llegar a tiempo, lo que provoca pérdidas de ingresos e incluso la posible pérdida de puestos de trabajo si las interrupciones se vuelven lo suficientemente regulares y significativas. Los impactos del cambio climático en las cadenas de suministro incluyen no solo la interrupción de los sistemas y los costos adicionales asociados al transporte de mercancías, sino también los posibles impactos sobre la salud de los trabajadores de sectores que requieren desempeñarse al aire libre, como la agricultura 325 , la pesca, la construcción y las entregas puerta a puerta 328,329 , que pueden estar expuestos a calor o frío extremos. Los trabajadores de estos puestos de trabajo pueden necesitar calefacción o enfriamiento adicionales o ajustes en los horarios de los turnos para evitar la exposición a condiciones meteorológicas adversas (KM 22.2; Capítulo 19) 330 .…”