These Hourly Workers Benefit the Most From Overtime
The coronavirus pandemic has transformed the professional lives of nearly every American. Many workers, for instance, have started doing their jobs remotely. Data from a recent Gallup Panel noted that 62% of employed Americans currently work from home, and that figure has doubled since mid-March. But while working from home is becoming increasingly common, it also comes with its own set of challenges: homeschooling kids, barking dogs and spouses who wander willy-nilly in and out of frame during Zoom meetings.
Of course, these challenges pale in comparison to those who are out of jobs entirely. The Bureau of Labor and Statistics said in a May 8 press release that unemployment had hit 14.7%, but disclosed that due to a recording error, the figure was likely closer to 20%. This is alarmingly close to the estimated 25% unemployment rate during the Great Depression.
That said, one could argue that it’s the nation’s essential workers who have it the worst. Policymakers have been pushing for essential employees to receive anything from hazard pay to double time to student loan relief, but nothing has been finalized. In turn, these workers have been forced into situations that compromise their health and that of their loved ones with no additional compensation.
Evidence shows that hourly workers, in particular, have been hit hardest by the pandemic. If they haven’t lost their jobs entirely, many have to endure gruelingly long hours for wages well below the national average. Some hourly workers need overtime to make ends meet, while others, such as nursing assistants, may have no choice in the matter.
So, now the guy who stocks shelves at the grocery store and just wants to pay his bills is risking death while keeping society from devolving into complete chaos — all for $13 an hour. And that’s not even $20 an hour pretax for overtime. It begs the question: does working overtime really pay off?
GOBankingRates looked at the median annual and hourly wage of 50 nonexempt occupations, meaning those eligible for overtime pay. Each job’s overtime wage was calculated as 1.5 times their regular wage. Of course, if you have a higher-paying job, your overtime will be correlatively higher, and vice versa. However, when you consider which jobs are essential, which can be done remotely and which are likely out of work right now, it puts the devastation of hourly workers into a whole new light.
Last updated: May 18, 2020
Stockers and Order Fillers
Median annual wage: $27,380
Median hourly wage: $13.16
Median overtime wage: $19.74
Essential status: Generally essential
Related: The 50 Most Dangerous Jobs for Contracting COVID-19
Library Assistants, Clerical
Median annual wage: $27,490
Median hourly wage: $13.22
Median overtime wage: $19.83
Essential status: Generally not essential
Tour and Travel Guides
Median annual wage: $27,600
Median hourly wage: $13.27
Median overtime wage: $19.91
Essential status: Generally not essential
Pharmacy Aides
Median annual wage: $27,850
Median hourly wage: $13.39
Median overtime wage: $20.09
Essential status: Generally essential
Slaughterers and Meat Packers
Median annual wage: $29,230
Median hourly wage: $14.05
Median overtime wage: $21.08
Essential status: Generally essential
Food Processing Workers
Median annual wage: $29,320
Median hourly wage: $14.09
Median overtime wage: $21.14
Essential status: Generally essential
Nursing Assistants
Median annual wage: $29,660
Median hourly wage: $14.26
Median overtime wage: $21.39
Essential status: Generally essential
Security Guards
Median annual wage: $29,680
Median hourly wage: $14.27
Median overtime wage: $21.41
Essential status: Essential in certain states and situations
Couriers and Messengers
Median annual wage: $29,690
Median hourly wage: $14.28
Median overtime wage: $21.42
Essential status: Generally not essential
Crossing Guards and Flaggers
Median annual wage: $29,760
Median hourly wage: $14.31
Median overtime wage: $21.47
Essential status: Essential in some states and situations
Receptionists and Information Clerks
Median annual wage: $30,050
Median hourly wage: $14.45
Median overtime wage: $21.68
Essential status: Essential in some states and situations
Grounds Maintenance Workers
Median annual wage: $30,890
Median hourly wage: $14.85
Median overtime wage: $22.28
Essential status: Essential in some states and situations
Tellers
Median annual wage: $31,230
Median hourly wage: $15.02
Median overtime wage: $22.53
Essential status: Generally essential
Concierges
Median annual wage: $31,390
Median hourly wage: $15.09
Median overtime wage: $22.64
Essential status: Generally not essential
Data Entry Keyers
Median annual wage: $33,490
Median hourly wage: $16.10
Median overtime wage: $24.15
Essential status: Work can often be done remotely
Assemblers and Fabricators
Median annual wage: $33,710
Median hourly wage: $16.21
Median overtime wage: $24.32
Essential status: Generally essential
Shipping, Receiving and Inventory Clerks
Median annual wage: $34,190
Median hourly wage: $16.44
Median overtime wage: $24.66
Essential status: Generally essential
Customer Service Representatives
Median annual wage: $34,710
Median hourly wage: $16.69
Median overtime wage: $25.04
Essential status: Essential in some states and situations
Light Truck Drivers
Median annual wage: $34,730
Median hourly wage: $16.70
Median overtime wage: $25.05
Essential status: Generally essential
Medical Assistants
Median annual wage: $34,800
Median hourly wage: $16.73
Median overtime wage: $25.10
Essential status: Generally essential
Phlebotomists
Median annual wage: $35,510
Median hourly wage: $17.07
Median overtime wage: $25.61
Essential status: Generally essential
See: Before It Became the Norm, Which States Had the Most Remote Workers?
Construction Laborers
Median annual wage: $36,860
Median hourly wage: $17.72
Median overtime wage: $26.58
Essential status: Essential in some states and situations
Refuse and Recyclable Material Collectors
Median annual wage: $37,840
Median hourly wage: $18.19
Median overtime wage: $27.29
Essential status: Generally essential
Financial Clerks
Median annual wage: $38,510
Median hourly wage: $18.52
Median overtime wage: $27.78
Essential status: Work can often be done remotely
Court, Municipal and License Clerks
Median annual wage: $39,380
Median hourly wage: $18.93
Median overtime wage: $28.40
Essential status: Essential in some states and situations
Secretaries and Administrative Assistants
Median annual wage: $39,850
Median hourly wage: $19.16
Median overtime wage: $28.74
Essential status: Generally essential
Tree Trimmers and Pruners
Median annual wage: $39,980
Median hourly wage: $19.22
Median overtime wage: $28.83
Essential status: Essential in some states and situations
Dental Assisstants
Median annual wage: $40,080
Median hourly wage: $19.27
Median overtime wage: $28.91
Essential status: Essential in some states and situations
Painters and Paperhangers
Median annual wage: $40,280
Median hourly wage: $19.37
Median overtime wage: $29.06
Essential status: Generally not essential
Word Processors and Typists
Median annual wage: $40,340
Median hourly wage: $19.39
Median overtime wage: $29.09
Essential status: Essential in some states and situations
Proofreaders and Copy Markers
Median annual wage: $40,630
Median hourly wage: $19.54
Median overtime wage: $29.31
Essential status: Work can often be done remotely
Highway Maintenance Workers
Median annual wage: $40,730
Median hourly wage: $19.58
Median overtime wage: $29.37
Essential status: Generally essential
Bookkeeping, Accounting and Auditing Clerks
Median annual wage: $41,230
Median hourly wage: $19.82
Median overtime wage: $29.73
Essential status: Generally essential
Carpet, Floor and Tile Installers and Finishers
Median annual wage: $42,050
Median hourly wage: $20.22
Median overtime wage: $30.33
Essential status: Generally not essential
Roofers
Median annual wage: $42,100
Median hourly wage: $20.24
Median overtime wage: $30.36
Essential status: Generally essential
Automotive Technicians and Repairers
Median annual wage: $42,150
Median hourly wage: $20.26
Median overtime wage: $30.39
Essential status: Generally essential
Check Out: The 20 Industries That Will Never Be the Same After the Coronavirus
Farm Equipment Mechanics and Service Technicians
Median annual wage: $42,200
Median hourly wage: $20.29
Median overtime wage: $30.44
Essential status: Generally essential
Welders, Cutters, Solderers and Brazers
Median annual wage: $42,490
Median hourly wage: $20.43
Median overtime wage: $30.65
Essential status: Essential in some states and situations
Hazardous Materials Removal Workers
Median annual wage: $43,900
Median hourly wage: $21.11
Median overtime wage: $31.67
Essential status: Generally essential
Engine and Other Machine Assemblers
Median annual wage: $45,660
Median hourly wage: $21.95
Median overtime wage: $32.93
Essential status: Generally essential
Social Science Research Assistants
Median annual wage: $47,510
Median hourly wage: $22.84
Median overtime wage: $34.26
Essential status: Work can often be done remotely
Construction Equipment Operators
Median annual wage: $48,160
Median hourly wage: $23.16
Median overtime wage: $34.74
Essential status: Essential in some states and situations
Heating, Air Conditioning and Refrigeration Mechanics and Installers
Median annual wage: $48,730
Median hourly wage: $23.43
Median overtime wage: $35.15
Essential status: Generally essential
Statistical Assistants
Median annual wage: $49,870
Median hourly wage: $23.97
Median overtime wage: $35.96
Essential status: Work can often be done remotely
Meeting, Convention and Event Planners
Median annual wage: $50,600
Median hourly wage: $24.33
Median overtime wage: $36.50
Essential status: Generally not essential
Paralegals and Legal Assistants
Median annual wage: $51,740
Median hourly wage: $24.87
Median overtime wage: $37.31
Essential status: Essential in some states and situations
Look: How Much These 15 Essential Jobs Pay in Every State
Graphic Designers
Median annual wage: $52,110
Median hourly wage: $25.05
Median overtime wage: $37.58
Essential status: Work can often be done remotely
Electrical and Electronic Equipment Mechanics, Installers and Repairers
Median annual wage: $52,570
Median hourly wage: $25.28
Median overtime wage: $37.92
Essential status: Generally essential
Plumbers, Pipefitters and Steamfitters
Median annual wage: $55,160
Median hourly wage: $26.52
Median overtime wage: $39.78
Essential status: Generally essential
Millwrights
Median annual wage: $55,560
Median hourly wage: $26.71
Median overtime wage: $40.07
Essential status: Generally essential
More From GOBankingRates
Methodology: In order to find which hourly workers benefit the most from overtime, GOBankingRates selected a sample of 75 occupations identified in the Bureau of Labor Statistics’ occupational wage and employment data which are commonly associated with hourly compensation and the possibility of overtime pay. GOBankingRates pulled BLS data on the May 2019 (1) median annual wage and (2) median hourly wage of each occupation. Then, assuming that overtime compensation would be 1.5x the regular hourly pay rate for each occupation, GOBankingRates provided estimates of the (3) median hourly overtime pay rate for each occupation. The 50 occupations with the highest estimated overtime rate were then ranked on factor No. 3, with No. 1 being the occupation with the highest overtime rate and No. 50 being the occupation with the lowest. All data was collected on and up to date as of May 6, 2020.
This article originally appeared on GOBankingRates.com: These Hourly Workers Benefit the Most From Overtime