Cover for the PYMNTS Intelligence and WorkWhile May 2026 Wage to Wallet Index. New PYMNTS Intelligence research shows schedule instability drives income swings, missed bills and financial stress for hourly workers.

Schedule Shifts Put Paychecks at Risk

Wage to Wallet Index™ - The Schedule Shock: How Unstable Hours Turn Paychecks Into Guesswork

PYMNTS Intelligence surveyed 2,465 U.S. adults and found that unpredictable schedules are turning workweeks into financial stress events for Labor Economy workers. Roughly 2.4 million workers face weekly hour swings of 10 hours or more, moving more than $20 billion a year in expected pay into or out of household budgets. The latest Wage to Wallet Index, a PYMNTS Intelligence and WorkWhile collaboration, shows why schedule stability, faster wage access and better notice are becoming financial lifelines.

Inside the May Index

Roughly 2.4 million Labor Economy workers face weekly hour swings of 10 hours or more, moving roughly $400 million in expected pay into or out of household budgets each week.
Fifty-four percent of Labor Economy workers made at least one career decision in the past five years due to schedule predictability, showing that schedule control is becoming a job benefit.
Only 11% of Labor Economy workers have access to on-demand pay through their employer, while fewer than half have a stable weekly schedule.