A majority of Americans have low-quality jobs

Only about four in 10 American workers say that they have a decent job, finds a new survey on job quality from Gallup out Thursday.Why it matters: Bad jobs aren't just a misery for employees — for companies, they're linked to costly turnover and higher health care expenses.Zoom in: Gallup defines a quality job as one that meets minimum standards across a few dimensions: fair pay and benefits; a safe and respectful workplace free from harassment and discrimination; and a predictable schedule.Gallup surveyed 17,874 employed adults ages 18 to 75 from Jan. 26 - March 24.By the numbers: This year, 41% of workers meet Gallup's standards for a quality job, unchanged from 2025.Older workers and those with advanced degrees are more likely to have a good job.Those with low-quality jobs were nearly twice as likely to work for a different employer after one year.And 51% of those with higher-quality jobs report better health, compared with 35% in non-quality jobs.The big picture: This is the second year Gallup has released its American Job Quality study and it comes at a turbulent time for workers.While at a high level, the labor market looks good — with low unemployment and few layoffs — hiri…

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