In many U.S. households, earning a single paycheck no longer covers basic expenses. People like Cindy, a waitress‑turned‑influencer from Delaware, stitch together shifts at restaurants, housekeeping gigs, and social‑media sponsorships to make ends meet.
According to the latest labor data, the share of workers holding two or more jobs has surged, with a 58 % jump in dual‑full‑time positions over the past year. While the national unemployment rate hovers around 4.4 %, the rise in “job‑splitting” signals growing financial pressure.
Women are more likely than men to juggle several roles—6.1 % of working‑age women compared with 4.9 % of men—according to recent surveys. This trend often pushes part‑time schedules into a “forced” status, a pattern noted by Fed official Michelle Bowman as a sign that many employees are struggling to cover everyday costs.
Take Valeria, a 59‑year‑old former accountant living near Washington, D.C. Divorced and supporting a daughter studying abroad, she stitches together assignments as a heritage conservator, stints at a high‑end supermarket, and occasional handyman jobs. “At the end of the month I’m left with barely a few hundred dollars,” she explains, adding that illness would instantly plunge her into debt.
For younger professionals, taking on several part‑time gigs is often a deliberate choice. “It gives flexibility and a safety net,” says Laura Ullrich, a North‑America labor economist at Indeed. Yet many argue that the lack of a robust social safety net under both the previous and current administrations forces people into this perpetual hustle.
The growing reliance on multiple income streams reshapes the American dream, turning what once was a single‑career trajectory into a patchwork of short‑term contracts, gig‑platform jobs, and side hustles.