Inside the lives of full-time workers and their part-time jobs

Most days, Syracuse’s 1st District Councilman Marino “Marty” Nave sports a suit to his office in city hall, but when scheduled, he rocks a Walgreens name tag. 

More Americans are working multiple jobs compared to previous years. In numbers released in October 2024 by the Labor Department, over eight million people worked multiple jobs, representing roughly 5% of the American workforce, an increase since 2020. 

In Syracuse, some residents choose to work both full-time and part-time jobs to pay bills, receive benefits and even relieve stress from their nine-to-five jobs. 

Bills, bills, bills

Khyla Miles is not only a patient care technician but also a home caregiver and store manager for Finish Line at Destiny USA in Syracuse, N.Y. 

Miles has been working all three jobs for at least one year. 

“More so to fill days because part-time is overnight; more money to fill my days,” Miles said.

Frederick Jones is a jack of all trades. He works full-time as a crane operator at Crucible Industries, is a door greeter at Walmart, owns rental property and is a full-time father. 

“I’m just doing it for the long haul,” Jones said. “My youngest kid is in college, he goes to the University of Buffalo — [I] got to pay, send him money all the time.”

Jones also experienced the negative effects of his employer’s services when Crucible Industries faced bankruptcy. 

“They froze my pension there when I had ten years in, so I decided to have two 401(k) when I was retiring so I’ll have some money set away,” Jones said. 

Benefits for part-time workers

Some people apply for part-time jobs that offer employee benefits. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics in 2023, 23% of part-time employees had access to health insurance, while 39% had access to retirement benefits. 

Nave says that Walgreens offers different benefits for their employees. Opportunities like access to health benefits and retirement benefits are important to him and motivate him to keep clocking in.

Photo by Naomi Campbell

Marino “Marty” Nave serves constituents as Syracuse’s 1st District Councilman and customers at his part-time Walgreens position.

Jones is also benefiting from employee perks, but from those offered by Walmart.

“I’m in the 401(k) and I got money going into the stock market, too,” Jones said. “They got benefits with being here part-time so I just decided to keep it.”

More than just a part-time employee

Latoya Finch is a middle school dean with a passion for hair. After a conversation with her friends, she was inspired to get a part-time job and now works at Ulta on the weekends at Destiny USA. 

“I do it, even though I have been in education over 15 years now, because it is a stress reliever,” Finch said. “When I come here, I don’t even have to worry about my day-to-day.”

Despite their work schedules, Finch and Marty are always available.

Finch said she, “Will always make time for her students and their guardians.”

“I go above and beyond my nine to five. Even when I clock out of school, they can reach me anytime on my cell phone,” Finch said.

Similarly, Marty is always available to help his constituents and customers.

“I’m always picking up the phone, even when I’m here. I got to take care of my constituents,” Marty said. “But I’m here to take care of my customers now. If they are walking around, ‘What do you need?’”