From 1978-79 incidence of long hours among full-time wage and salary workers dropped for the first time since the 1974-75 recession. Of those who worked long hours, about 43% received premium pay (time and one-half the regular wage for hours worked in excess of forty per week). Employers used overtime hours to cope with disequilibrium phenomena…

The Special Labor Force Report examines: recent trends in overtime work, the impact of overtime work on earnings, and current and past composition of the overtime work force. It shows that persons who usually work overtime are less likely to collect premium pay than those whose overtime is only occasional. (Author/MW)