Average weekly hours worked in the United States inched up in January 2026, signaling a modest increase in labor demand at the start of the year. The indicator rose to 34.3 hours, compared with 34.2 hours previously.
Both the prior and current readings relate to January 2026 data, which were updated on 11 February 2026. The slight uptick in average weekly hours suggests employers may be gradually expanding workloads, an early sign that could hint at strengthening activity in parts of the US labor market, depending on broader economic and employment trends not detailed in this release.
