Survey: 77% of American Workers Face Financial Hardship from Paycheck Delays

Survey: 77% of American Workers Face Financial Hardship from Paycheck DelaysPhoto byMoney KnackonUnsplash

A recent survey by PayrollOrg (PAYO) reveals that 77% of American workers would encounter financial difficulties if their paycheck were delayed by a week. This marks a slight improvement from 2023, when 78% of respondents reported living paycheck to paycheck.

The 2024 "Getting Paid In America" survey, which gathered insights from over 36,000 individuals, found that 28,375 participants indicated they would find it somewhat or very difficult to meet their financial obligations in the event of a paycheck delay.

Peter Klukken, head of Money Network at Fiserv, emphasized the importance of timely wage access, stating, "With more than 70% of employees saying they will have difficulty making ends meet if a paycheck is delayed, it is critical that organizations ensure employees are paid with speed and accuracy."

Additionally, the survey highlighted a growing demand for earned wage access, with 34% of respondents expressing interest in earlier access to their wages—consistent with last year's findings. Tom Hammond, vice president at Paychex, noted that timely access to pay and voluntary lifestyle benefits like earned wage access are essential for attracting and retaining talent.