Timed Reading

How many hours do you work in a week? The amount of time people spend at work is different around the world. For example, some studies show the Netherlands with the lowest average workweek, at just 29 hours. But in Mexico the average worker spends over 48 hours at work. Vacation time also changes in different countries. France, for instance, requires 30 days off per year for its workers, while Sweden only requires 25 days off per year. Long ago, people used to spend many hours at work with little or no time off. Employment laws began to change in the middle of the 19th century. In 1847, the United Kingdom shortened the working hours of factory workers to ten per day. Later, the United States created similar laws to limit factory workers’ hours. In the early 20th century most industrialized countries adopted an 8-hour, 6-day workweek. By the 1970s, the 40-hour workweek became the standard.