Quote:
Originally Posted by GreenLantern
I have heard rumours in the past that other countries, especially in Europe, like the 30 hour work weeks. I heard that Germany does this, it might have even been on this board, can anyone confirm that?
If so.. I need to live there.
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I'll see what I can dig up. IIRC, France might have 4 days. I think Germans work 5 days, but they get 6 weeks minimum holidays. The Germans I know all seem to work 12 hour days, so I don't know if they are any further ahead.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/1859891.stm
The average French worker has never had it so good - or so it seems.
The introduction of a 35-hour working work means millions of employees spend more time having fun with family and friends, instead of slaving away in the office or factory.
The legislation, introduced in phases since it was approved by Parliament in 1999, has resulted in shorter working days, four-day working weeks or extra long holidays.
But the 35-hour working week has come at a price.
With fewer people at work at any one time, more jobs have been needed.
And it has largely been the French tax payer who has had to foot bill to pay for their wages.
French corporate taxes are among the highest in the EU and many firms have moved to "business friendlier" countries like the UK.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Working_time
Be thankful you don't work in South Korea.
By far, workers in South Korea have the longest work hours in the world. The average South Korean works 2,390 hours each year, according to the OECD. This is over 400 hours longer than the next longest-working country and 34% more hours than the average in the United States. A typical workweek in South Korea is 44 hours or longer. Most people start their day at 8am and end at around 7pm or later, often having dinner before returning to work. Until legislation in 2004 that virtually abolished the six-day workweek in large corporations known as "jaebol", South Korea was the only country in the OECD that worked Saturdays.
http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/afp/08060...r_lifestyle_us
Skyrocketing energy costs have fueled fresh interest in the four-day workweek across the United States as a means to help workers as well as employers cope with the surge.