Top 10 Hardest-Working States in America

What does it mean to work hard, really? The answer is different for everyone, but you might be curious to learn which states work the most hours per week or spend the least amount of leisure time per day.

Using a variety of direct and indirect metrics such as these, the folks at WalletHub published a comprehensive ranking of the fifty U.S. states according to “how hard” their populations work.

Here are the top 10 states and their respective total scores based on Wallethub’s methodology:

War for Talent: Paid Time Off in America

On average, Americans work 1,783 hours per year, which places the U.S. in the middle range of the 35 countries in the OECD. America is the only advanced economy that doesn’t guarantee workers paid time off. Most companies offer some version of PTO. Even still, 52% of employees claimed they had unused vacation days at the end of the year, according to a 2018 Project: Time Off Study.

WalletHub reports that some employees intentionally hold off on using all their PTO because they are afraid it will cause them to fall behind on work, or make them seem less dedicated to the job than their co-workers.

In the war for talent, the evolving workforce deeply values work-life balance. It is important to provide job-seekers and current employees with a competitive vacation package - and assure them that they can use it without any professional setbacks.

Regardless of where your state falls on this list, or how much PTO you receive, make sure you are paid equitably. Find your worth.