Extreme temperatures and non-work at work

Understanding the determinants of worker effort is central to Economics, as even small changes in productivity can have significant implications for economic growth and labor market performance. This study examines the relationship between extreme temperatures and work effort-proxied by non-work time while at the workplace-using data from the American Time Use Survey (ATUS) for the period 2003-2019. Results indicate that extremely hot days (≥ 100ºF) are related to increased time spent at work not working, particularly among women and hourly workers. On these days, women spend 4.38 more minutes at work not working compared to comfortable temperature days. Men, by contrast, do not exhibit significant changes in non-work time at work. Furthermore, the results align with increased worker bargaining power during economic expansions, which facilitates labor supply adjustments on extremely hot days, and with hypotheses regarding adaptation and acclimation to high temperatures in warmer counties. These findings underscore the relevance of temperature as a determinant of worker effort, reveal a previously overlooked margin of labor adjustment, and highlight the moderating role of schedule flexibility in shaping behavioral responses to environmental stressors.