Wanting full-time, only finding part-time

Summary

Marketplace Morning Report — Episode Summary

Episode Title: Wanting full-time, only finding part-time
Date: June 4, 2026
Host: Marketplace Team (Nancy Marshall Genzer, Nova Safo, Henry Epp, Caitlin Tan)

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Brief Overview

This episode examines the increasing trend of Americans working part-time when they want full-time jobs, known as "working part-time for economic reasons." The show looks at newly released economic data, shares personal stories that illustrate these challenges, and touches on regional labor market trends, specifically a construction jobs boom in the Mountain West due to mild winter weather.

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Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. Red Warning Signs in the Beige Book

Timestamps: 00:53 – 02:02

• Beige Book Insights: The Federal Reserve’s Beige Book (anecdotal economic report) reveals that consumers are tightening their belts due to persistent inflation.
  • Increased credit card use signals financial stress.
  • "Energy price increases quickly affecting consumers and exacerbating disparities in the K-shaped" recovery. (Nova Safo, 01:22)
  • Middle-income households making their money stretch further.
  • Cooldown in sectors: slower car sales, fewer weekend trips, pullback on manufacturing investment.
  • Hiring sluggish except in defense/data center sectors.

Notable quote:

“Middle income households were squeezing more life out of every dollar.”
— Nova Safo, 01:22

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2. The Rise of Part-Time for Economic Reasons

Timestamps: 02:02 – 05:15

• Labor Market Preview:

  • BLS jobs report coming, with attention on people working part-time for economic reasons—a group whose numbers are up 35% since the post-pandemic low.
  • Defined as those who want full-time but can't find it or had hours cut.

• Personal Stories:

  • Vincent Ruggiero, 22 (Start: 02:36)

    • Recent graduate juggling multiple part-time jobs (Teach for America, youth advocacy).
    • Has sent out 200 applications: “It takes the life out of you. Even more so than like a traditional office job.” (Vincent Ruggiero, 03:01)
    • Landed a full-time teaching assistant job starting in August but still searching for something better in line with his degree.

  • Rosanna Landis Weaver, 62 (Start: 04:23)

    • Non-profit professional, laid off in 2024, expected to re-enter full time but has only found part-time consulting.
    • Reevaluating desire to work full-time after long absence.
    • “I could not do the kind of work that I did in the past, work the kind of hours, stay at the desk for that many hours.” (Rosanna Landis Weaver, 04:55)
    • Would welcome a full-time income, especially with her son in college.

• Expert Analysis:

  • Aaron Tarazas, independent labor economist:
    • “On the surface, people are, you know, finding jobs. But that doesn’t really speak to the types of work that they’re taking or how satisfied they are with that work.” (03:37-03:42)
  • Lonnie Golden, Penn State Abington:
    • The BLS undercounts those wanting more hours: many part-timers want just a few extra hours a week, not necessarily full time.
    • “We miss a lot of the people that are part time who want to work a few more hours per week, but not necessarily at full time level of hours.” (Lonnie Golden, 04:14)

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3. Construction Jobs Surge in the Mountain West

Timestamps: 07:09 – 08:53

• Owing to a mild winter, construction jobs in Montana and Colorado have risen earlier and faster than usual (2,100 new jobs in Montana; 4,000 in Colorado).
  • “We didn't have a lot of snow on the ground, so we weren’t having to wait on ice to get off of the roads or the bridges.”
    — Jodi Green, Schellinger Construction, 07:25
  • In Park City, Utah, the outdoor pool project wrapped up a week early because workers could start early in mild weather.
  • “It’s easier to work when it’s 40, 50 degrees than if it is 20 degrees.”
    — Ken Fisher, Park City Recreation Director, 08:39

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Vincent Ruggiero on job hunting fatigue:
  “If you feel like you have to just send out application after application, it takes the life out of you. Even more so than like a traditional office job.” (03:01)

• Aaron Tarazas on current jobs landscape:
  “On the surface, people are…finding jobs. But that doesn’t really speak to the types of work that they’re taking or how satisfied they are with that work.” (03:39)

• Lonnie Golden on true underemployment:
  “We miss a lot of the people that are part time who want to work a few more hours per week, but not necessarily at full time level of hours.” (04:14)

• Rosanna Landis Weaver's reality check:
  “I could not do the kind of work that I did in the past, work the kind of hours, stay at the desk for that many hours.” (04:55)

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Important Timestamps

• [00:53] — Economic red flags: inflation biting, summary of the Beige Book
• [02:02] — Job data preview; definition of “part-time for economic reasons”
• [02:36] — Vincent Ruggiero’s job search story
• [04:23] — Rosanna Landis Weaver’s experience with forced part-time work
• [07:09] — Surge in Mountain West construction jobs due to mild winter

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Episode Tone

The episode maintains an informative and empathetic tone, blending hard data with relatable first-person stories to illuminate the frustrations and complexities of today’s job market, particularly for those involuntarily underemployed.

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For further business and labor market analysis, listen to Marketplace Morning Report wherever you get your podcasts.

Transcript

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[C]

Red Warning Signs in the Beige Book from Marketplace, I'm Nancy Marshall Genzer in Washing the Federal Reserve says more consumers are pinching pennies amid higher inflation. Many businesses are reporting cooling demand and the economy is growing at a slight to moderate pace in much of the country. The Fed's latest snapshot of economic conditions, known as the Beige Book, also includes reports of increased credit card use. Marketplace's Nova Safo has more.

[D]

The latest survey covers mid April through May and it finds energy price increases quickly affecting consumers and exacerbating disparities in the K shaped. One survey respondent said middle income households were squeezing more life out of every dollar. Inflation was biting across business sectors. Dealerships reported less demand for new cars. Consumers cut back on weekend trips. Manufacturing customers pulled back on investments. Hiring remained stuck in low fire low hire mode except at defense and data center related companies which continue to grow. Fed policymakers meet in two weeks to to discuss interest rates. I'm Nova Safo for Marketplace.

[C]

We're about to learn what the labor market looked like in May. The Bureau of Labor Statistics releases its monthly jobs report tomorrow. One of the stats it tracks has been slowly but steadily rising over the past few years. The number of people working part time for economic reasons. That's BLS speak for workers who'd like to be full time but had their hours cut or had haven't been able to find full time jobs. That number hit a low as the economy came out of the pandemic, but since then it's up 35%. Marketplace's Henry Epp reports 22 year old

[A]

Vincent Ruggiero, like a lot of recent college grads, has been working multiple part time jobs. After he graduated in December, he had a tutoring gig with teach for America, 10 hours a week, another 10 hours a week in a role with a youth advocacy organization.

[D]

These roles are great. These roles will help me in my

[A]

professional career, but I want to achieve full time work. Both jobs ended in May. Now he's driving for a delivery service and picking up odd jobs. He's also applying to open positions, close to 200. So far, it's been a job of its own. If you feel like you have to just send out application after application, it takes the life out of you. Even more so than like a traditional office job, he's had some success. He landed a full time teaching assistant gig that starts in August. But he's still hoping something different comes through, either in state or local government or the nonprofit sector where he can put his political science degree to work. Ruggiero's situation is pretty typical of the job market right now.

[D]

On the surface, people are, you know, finding jobs.

[A]

Aaron Tarazas is an independent labor economist.

[D]

But that doesn't really speak to the types of work that they're taking or

[A]

how satisfied they are with that work. The rising number of people working part time for economic reasons tells us that a lot of people would like to be working more, whether it's satisfying or not. The measure is likely an undercount of the number of workers who want more hours, says Lonnie golden, an economics professor at Penn State Abington.

[D]

Because a lot of our part time workforce are working maybe 15, 20 hours a week and want to work 25 or 30.

[A]

But the Bureau of Labor Statistics only counts part timers who say they are ready to work 35 or more hours a week.

[D]

That is to say, we miss a lot of the people that are part time who want to work a few more hours per week, but not necessarily at full time level of hours.

[A]

That's where 62 year old Rosanna Landis Weaver of Hyattsville, Maryland finds herself. She was laid off from a full time job at a nonprofit in 2024.

[B]

I never thought like it was going to be early retirement, but I thought I'll take a little, little break and then find something else.

[A]

She figured she had plenty of work experience to pick up another full time role. But when she started applying, nothing, nothing, nothing, nothing. Now she's consulting part time and after so long out of the full time workforce, she's not totally sure she wants to go back.

[B]

I could not do the kind of work that I did in the past, work the kind of hours, stay at the desk for that many hours.

[A]

But a full time income wouldn't hurt. She has a son who just finished his freshman year in College. I'm Henry A.P. for Marketplace. This podcast is supported by Even realities even G2 productivity smart classes with teleprompting, conversation support, real time translation, AI assistance and more help you stay on top of work and daily life. Learn [e-mail] and see how everyday smart classes keep helpful information in sight so you can stay productive and hands free throughout the workday. Add the evenring1 or even clip to your even G2 order and get 10% off with code marketplace even realities.com code

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[C]

as we await the government's big hiring and unemployment reports tomorrow, we wanted to check in on the Mountain west, where construction jobs are seeing an early boost thanks to an unusually mild winter. Marketplace's Caitlin Tan has the details.

[B]

During an icy cold winter, construction is pretty limited. You can't lay asphalt in temperatures that are below, I think 45 degrees. It doesn't work. Jodi Green is in Flathead Valley, Montana with Schellinger Construction and when their road contracts started this spring, full work crews hit the ground paving. We didn't have a lot of snow on the ground, so we weren't having to wait on ice to get off of the roads or the bridges. A strong start to construction showed up in Montana's job numbers. We've seen about 2100 additional jobs in construction through the first four months of the year. Amy Watson is Montana's chief economist. She says normally they don't see a ramp up until the snow has reliably melted. That July through September time frame Colorado also saw roughly 4,000 extra construction jobs. In Park City, Utah, which is known for its deep, powdery snow, workers were building an outdoor city swimming pool.

[D]

It has a climbing wall, has a slide for toddlers.

[B]

Ken Fisher is the recreation director. He says construction finished a week earlier than planned.

[D]

It's easier to work when it's 40, 50 degrees than if it is 20 degrees.

[B]

The pool is opening this weekend, just in time for summer break. Caitlin I'm Caitlin Tan from Marketplace, and

[C]

in Washington, I'm Nancy Marshall Genser with the Marketplace Morning Report from apm American Public Media.

[D]

It's almost time for the World cup,

[B]

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[D]

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[D]

Sam.