According to Statista, the average American works 34.4 hours a week. It’s considered the norm for workers to work 7-hour days with a 1-hour lunch break 5 times a week. Perhaps, if they’re especially dedicated, they’ll work a six-day week or take on some overtime to work 12-hour days. But this Amazon job ad takes things to a whole other level.
In a TikTok that has amassed 919,800 views as of Sunday, Johnnaiya (@j.kayla2) shared a purported screenshot of a landing page for part-time Amazon shifts. The page defines the shifts on offer as being “part-time,” and to be fair, the position is only four days a week. But the most outrageous part is that each of these shifts is labeled as being 21 hours long. This means that, in total, employees will be working 84-hour weeks (as is also labeled on the landing page).
Accompanying the video is an on-screen caption that reads, “Amazon tripping, I’m not applying to this.” In the video’s description, the TikToker added, “I was trying to apply to another position. I think this is a typo, I hope.”
Viewers were stunned
“PART TIME ????” one asked in the comments. “Ion wanna know what full-time is.”
“84 hrs per week and part-time all on the same line is crazy,” another wrote.
However, a number of commenters encouraged Johnnaiya to “lock in” and “make bank.” But for the most part, the consensus was one of bemusement.
“Y’all got to stop ordering that same day shipping,” another joked.
“They call it part-time so they don’t have to give you the benefits and perks of a full-time employee,” a further commenter speculated.
Johnnaiya didn’t immediately respond to the Daily Dot’s request for comment via TikTok comment.
Is it legal to work 84-hour weeks?
You might expect it to be illegal to work 84-hour weeks. But strangely enough, this is not the case. According to the Fair Labor Standards Act, there is no upper limit for the amount of time an adult is asked to work. However, the statute does mention that those working more than 40 hours a week should receive “time and a half” overtime pay.
But is this level of financial compensation worth the burnout? According to a recent SHRM survey, 44% of workers feel burnt out at work, while 45% report feeling emotionally drained. A further Deloitte survey also found that 77% of workers have experienced burnout at their current job.
If the level of burnout is that high for those working on average a 34.4 hour working week, the burnout levels of those working 2.5 times that amount must be astronomical. So, while it might be legal, whether it’s ethical is another question entirely.
Amazon didn’t immediately respond to the Daily Dot’s request for comment via email.
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