Alterations in the pattern of working time over the week, the year, and the worklife are being considered in the United States and Europe. (Editor)

Statistical data demonstrate the effectiveness of staggering work hours in reducing traffic congestion, without losing efficiency on the job. (AG)

The author highlights the predominance of the five-day, 40-hour workweek. Although finding little change in recent years in the proportion of workers on 40-hour schedules, Smith notes that there have been some changes in work patterns, with a still small but growing group of workers on "compressed" full-time weeks of less than five days.…

Presents highlights of the issue's eight other articles that examine data from a special 1985 household survey covering topics such as the number of workers who moonlight, who work at home, who have flexible hours, or who would prefer to work more or fewer hours per week. (Author/CT)

Describes a study of the behavior of male blue-collar workers on 4-day workweeks, revealing that they participate in the same activities as similar 5-day workers. Discussion focuses on the impact of the 4-day week on use of time and on the individual's satisfaction with leisure activities. (TA)

A summary of an 80-page booklet called Hours of Work When Workers Can Choose is presented. The booklet reports a survey and focuses on the benefits of flexible hours of work. It was published by the Business and Professional Women's Foundation and is available from that organization. (EC)

Compares the work sharing efforts during the Depression in the 1930s with short-term compensation programs used today as an alternative to extensive layoffs. The effects of work-sharing on productivity in German industry are also examined. (SK)

The self-employed began to more closely resemble wage and salary workers during 1972-79. Their workweek was shortened, they tended to be younger, and were more likely to be women than in the past, but they continued to earn less than other workers. (Author)

Results of an exploratory survey of county employees in California, with references to some national surveys, indicate that workers may be willing to exchange income for more free time and that they favor increased flexibility in timing work, leisure, and education. (MF)

The number of Americans working for themselves continues to increase, reaching 9.1 million in 1983. They tend to be older than other workers, and although they work longer hours, their earnings are lower. (SK)

Available data indicate that, although the United States once pioneered in providing reduced working time for workers, achieving a 40-hour workweek well in advance of most other industrial nations, Western Europe has now caught up and passed the United States in this respect. (Author)

In most managerial, management-related, sales, production, and transportation occupations, workers with longer hours earned a high hourly rate. The reverse was true for some jobs, including computer specialists, engineers, schoolteachers, and construction workers. (JOW)

More than one-fifth of employed persons with disabilities work late or rotating shifts, about the same as nondisabled workers. Day workers with disabilities receive lower hourly wages than nondisabled workers. Except for men, nonday workers with disabilities receive wages similar to their nondisabled counterparts. (Contains 27 references.)…

Available data permit identification of problem areas, but are not sufficient to determine causes of high or low rates of unscheduled absence. (Editor)

Wide-ranging changes can be traced to variations in hours, earning, prices, and Federal taxes. (Editor)