Greece Goes Against Grain: Introducing a Limited Six-Day Workweek Amidst Global Trends Toward Shorter Workweeks

In a bid to revive its economy following the global financial crisis of 2007-2008, Greece has recently implemented a limited six-day workweek. This move allows employees in some 24-hour industries to choose to work up to 48 hours per week instead of the maximum of 40, with workers receiving an extra 40% in overtime pay if they exceed the 40-hour threshold. The Greek Prime Minister Kyriakos Mitsotakis sees this change as “growth-oriented” and hopes it will lead to reduced tax evasion resulting from undeclared work.

However, this move by Greece goes against trends in other economies, such as Europe and the United States, that are considering shorter workweeks. Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders proposed legislation this year to define a workweek as 32 hours under the Fair Labor Standards Act. Additionally, in a recent survey of American CEOs, 30% said they were exploring new work schedule shifts like a four-day or 4.5-day workweek.

Despite these developments, the six-day workweek in Greece remains part of efforts to stimulate economic growth and reduce tax evasion following the country’s financial struggles over the past decade. It remains to be seen how this change will impact the Greek economy and if other countries will follow suit in adjusting their work schedules.