While the average number of hours worked by full-time employeeshas remained stable over the recent past, a Gallup poll found thatlots of folks are working far more hours than the average.

Among those working full time, the idea of a 40-hour workweekonly resonates with 42% of those surveyed. Most of the other halfwork well over that antiquated standard.

Only 8% said they work fewer than 40 hours weekly at theirfull-time jobs, while 39% work 50 hours or more. Of those, 18% areworking more than 60 hours a week.

Although full-time employees with just one job are workingbasically the same number of hours a week — nearly 47 — that theyreported working in 2001, the same can't be said of part-timers.Part-time workers told Gallup they are working far fewer hourstoday than they were in 2001. And while the number of respondentsto a Gallup poll who say they work full time has fallen from 50%pre-recession to 43% today, the part-time workforce hasconsistently remained at about 9%.

The survey offers further proof that a significant percentage ofadults have dropped out of the workforce. The recession forcedmany workers to the sidelines, and some simply stayed there —either because they couldn't find work or they decided toretire.

“While for some workers the number of hours worked may be anindicator of personal gumption, for others it may be a function oftheir pay structure,” Gallup suggested. “Hourly workers can berestricted in the amount they work by employers who don't need orcan't afford to pay overtime. By contrast, salaried workersgenerally don't face this issue. And, perhaps as a result, salariedemployees work five hours more per week, on average, than full-timehourly workers (49% vs. 44%, respectively).”

Gallup said that 25% of the salaried workers it contacted saidthey work at least 60 hours a week.

“Thus, while workers earning a salary may enjoy greater incomethan their counterparts who are paid hourly, they do pay a price inlost personal time,” Gallup said.