Fathers have reduced their work hours a little more than mothers in the COVID-19 downturn Mean actual hours worked per week by U.S. mothers and fathers employed and at work Age of youngest child at home
Fathers who are employed and at work cut back on the hours they spent on the job by a little more than mothers did. From September 2019 to September 2020, the average weekly hours worked by fathers fell from 43.3 to 40.5 – nearly three hours per week. At the same time, mothers pared their average weekly hours from 36.8 to 35.0, close to two hours per week. The change in work hours among mothers and fathers did not vary notably by the ages of the youngest children at home.
Fathers have reduced their work hours a little more  | than mothers in the COVID-19 downturn  | Mean actual hours worked per week by U.S. mothers and fathers employed  | and at work  | Mothers  | Fathers  | Age of youngest child at home  | 40.2  | Younger Sept. 2020  | 33.9  | Sept. 2020  | than 3 Sept. 2019  | Sept. 2019  | 35.9  | 43.5  | 34.3  | 40.2  | 3-5  | 36.4  | 42.7  | 35.6  | 40. 7  | 6-13  | 43.3  | 37.0  | 35." 7  | 40.8  | 14-17  | 37.9  | 43.9  | Note: Estimates refer to women and men ages 16 and older with children younger than 18  | at home and who were either the reference person in the survey or their partner,  | nonseasonally adjusted.  | Source: Pew Research Center analysis of 2019 and 2020 Current Population Survey,  | PEW RESEARCH CENTER 