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Nearly 32,000 continue their workday while driving on I-71/75, study reveals

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CINCINNATI — Anyone who has driven on the I-71/75 corridor during rush hour knows just how hectic the interstate can be. Still, nearly 32,000 drivers say their workday starts, and continues, during their commute as they take calls, make deals or participate in awkward Zoom meetings while navigating traffic.

A study conducted by LawLinq found that thousands of commuters said they don't get to wait until they walk into the building to start their day. Instead, they begin working in their cars.

Cincinnati's I-71/75 corridor ranked 80th among the nation's rush hour routes that serve as unofficial offices with an estimated 31,920 people working behind the wheel. That ranks just under Columbus and ahead of Cleveland for busiest commuters.

It's not shocking that today's workforce is taking their work home, but that's not a particularly good thing. The World Health Organization and International Labour Organization post-pandemic published estimates noting how long working hours can impact a person's health — especially after work-from-home changed work-life balance for many.

"No job is worth the risk of stroke or heart disease," WHO Director-General Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said in the May 2021 release. "Governments, employers and workers need to work together to agree on limits to protect the health of workers."

WHO recommended that leaders introduce and enforce laws or regulations that ensure maximum limits on working time. Some places, like France, have laws that put strict limitations on how many hours and at what times an employee can work — including a worker's "right to disconnect" from emails or phones once their workday has ended.

LawLinq's survey shows drivers in every state take their work with them. The cities with the most working drivers are, not shockingly, Los Angeles and Miami.

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