Laboring

Laboring is the act of performing work or exerting effort to achieve a goal. In economics, labor refers to human effort used in the production of goods and services, distinct from capital, land, and entrepreneurship. The term is derived from the Latin labor, via Old French labour, and is paired with the concept of "work" in many languages, with "labor" often used in American English and "labour" in British English.

Labor encompasses a wide range of activities, including physical labor such as construction or farming, and mental or skilled labor such as software development or professional services. It can be categorized by factors like skill level, intensity, or sector, and is tracked in labor markets by employment, wages, hours, and productivity. Working conditions, safety, and rights are common concerns, with laws and norms governing minimum wage, maximum hours, overtime, and workplace safety; many countries support collective bargaining through labor unions. Global discussions often address child labor, forced labor, and fair labor standards, sometimes under the oversight of international bodies like the ILO.

In medicine, labor also refers to parturition—the process of childbirth. Labor is typically described in stages (early/latent, active, and delivery of the placenta) and may involve contractions, cervical dilation, analgesia, and monitoring. Obstetric care aims to ensure the safety of both the birthing person and the newborn.