SHREVEPORT, La. (KTAL/KMSS) – A new study has revealed that American women are more likely to work multiple jobs than American men, which may have something to do with a gender pay gap that has changed very little in decades. On average, Louisiana women earn 72.9% of what men make. That’s one of the largest pay gaps in the nation, second only to Wyoming, where women make 68.5% of what men make. Louisiana among top states with largest gender pay gaps, study finds (klfy.com) The study was conducted by StartFleet.io and used data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The study found Americans in Generation X and Generation Y to be the most likely generation to work more than one job, as 5.44 million worked two jobs at the same time in 2023. But Generation Z also had a massive gender gap, too. 439,000 women and 261,000 men between the ages of 20 and 24 worked multiple jobs in 2023. More than 2.75 million women worked two jobs at the same time in the same time period, while 2.68 million men reported working as much. Women won’t achieve pay parity until 2056, report finds Joe Thong is the spokesperson for StartFleet.io. He said that as the cost of living crisis continues, we are witnessing an increasing number of people working multiple jobs to get by. “This rapid increase raises concerns about work-life balance, mental health, and long-term sustainability,” said Thong. “Ultimately, working two jobs at once can significantly impact both mental and physical well-being, especially when it comes to maintaining a healthy sleep schedule and a reliable relationship with friends and family.” Thong also noted that the study raises awareness of the pay gap between men and women. The pay gap may be the reason why women seek out secondary employment. They're just trying to make ends meet. “Sadly, working two jobs at once is becoming a normalized part of our economy, and this is an issue that needs to be tackled head-on by both employers and policymakers,” said Thong.   More than 5.4 million people in the United States worked multiple jobs at once in 2023. Rank  Age Group  Total Number of Multiple Jobholders in 2023 1 25 - 54 5,441,000  2 55 - 64 1,303,000  3 20 - 24 700,000  4 65 + 441,000  5 16 - 19 202,000   Benefits of seeking out secondary employment   Secondary employment can provide additional experience and develop vital career skills for many Americans. But working two jobs at once does come with a cost. Your risk of burnout is greater. You can reach the point of mental and physical exhaustion. Fatigue can be a health and safety risk.   Your stress levels can also rise, reducing your output’s quality. And working long hours can harm relationships with your family and friends. And just in case you're curious, it's not against the law to be employed by two companies simultaneously. But be careful if you signed a contract to work for your employer because you might be breaching your contract with the company if you work two jobs simultaneously. Many companies forbid full-time employees from working other jobs.   And yes, it's perfectly legal for companies to terminate your employment if you breach a contract.