Short-time schemes reduce working hours

The widespread use of government supported short-time working schemes, introduced primarily in manufacturing to cut company costs and save jobs, has reduced the gap between agreed and actual working time in the EU, according to Eurofound's latest annual round-up of working time developments.

Short-time working schemes have been extended over the last two years in a number of countries in response to falling demand in the face of recession. Under these schemes, the working hours and pay of employees is cut, with national governments usually making up most of the loss in income: as a result, employers' costs are reduced while worker's jobs and incomes are preserved. Eurofound's previous updates in the series have found that actual working time, in most Member States, is longer than collectively agreed hours; however, the fall in working time resulting from these short-time schemes has meant that actual working time, on average across Europe, has fallen.

Romanians work longest weekly hours

In the fourth quarter of 2009, the longest actual weekly hours, worked by full-time employees in their main job, were in Romania (41.2 hours per week); the shortest were in Finland (37.3 hours). The Netherlands clocked in an average 40 hours a week.  Surprisingly the 35 hour work week in France appears to be ignored by most full time workers there. Overtime is the norm rather than hiring extra staff.

For a detailed account of working time developments in 2009 see: http://www.eurofound.europa.eu/eiro/studies/tn1004039s/tn1004039s.htm