Workweek and weekend

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The workweek and weekend are those complementary parts of the week devoted to labour and rest respectively. The legal workweek (a US term, in the UK called the working week) is the part of the 7-day week devoted to labor, as opposed to rest. In many countries it is Monday to Friday. A weekend comprises the two traditionally non-working days in a seven-day week. The rest of the week is referred to as the workweek.

What constitutes the workweek is mandated either by law or custom. In Christian tradition, Sunday is Lord's Day and the day of rest and worship. Jewish Sabbath, known as Shabbat, is from sunset Friday to when it is fully dark on Saturday. The French Revolutionary Calendar had ten-day weeks and allowed decadi, one out of the ten days, as a leisure day.

The present-day concept of the weekend goes back to the Dies Solis (Day of the Sun) decreed by Constantine, and Sabbath. The weekend in Western countries comprises Saturday and Sunday, when most employees do not have to work. Whereas Sabbath itself was just one day each week, the preceding day also came to be taken off, because it was considered necessary to do preparatory tasks at home that would permit proper Sabbath observance the next day, i.e., cessation from work.^{[citation needed]}

Contents 1 History 2 Around the world 2.1 Muslim countries 2.2 Australia 2.3 Bahrain 2.4 Canada 2.5 China 2.6 EU 2.6.1 Denmark 2.6.2 France 2.6.3 Ireland 2.6.4 Spain 2.6.5 Poland 2.6.6 Portugal 2.6.7 Sweden 2.6.8 United Kingdom 2.7 Hong Kong 2.8 India 2.9 Indonesia 2.10 Iran 2.11 Israel 2.12 Japan 2.13 Kuwait 2.14 Lebanon 2.15 Malaysia 2.16 Oman 2.17 Pakistan 2.18 Philippines 2.19 Saudi Arabia 2.20 Thailand 2.21 Turkey 2.22 Morocco 2.23 United Arab Emirates 2.24 United States 3 Weekends for students 4 See also 5 References

[edit] History

In most cultures which have a seven-day week, either Saturday or Sunday is the traditional day of rest, and Friday for most countries of the Middle East. Yet in countries such as Australia, U.S and U.K the weekend is considered Friday night, Saturday and Sunday, with the week beginning on Monday.

The American concept of the weekend has its roots in labor union attempts to accommodate Jewish workers who took Saturday instead of Sunday as their Sabbath.^[1] The first five-day work week was instituted by a New England cotton mill for this reason.

In 1926 Henry Ford began shutting down his automotive factories for all of Saturday and Sunday. In 1929 the Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America was the first union to demand a five-day work week and receive it. After that, the rest of the United States slowly followed suit, but it wasn't until 1940 that the two-day weekend began nationwide.

[edit] Around the world

[edit] Muslim countries

Indonesia, the largest Muslim country in the world, has a work week of Monday through Friday, with Saturday and Sunday as the weekend^[2]. Other Muslim-majority countries differ, with Friday a day of prayer, so the working week may adjust to allow people time to attend prayer. The legal work week in the Middle East is typically either Saturday through Wednesday (Saudi Arabia^[3]), Saturday through Thursday (as in Iran^[4][5]) or Sunday through Thursday as in Egypt, Iraq^[6], Jordan, and Syria^[7]. A working week of Sunday through Thursday, with Friday and Saturday as the weekend, is becoming more common, with Qatar shifting to this model in 2003, Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates^[8] in 2006, Kuwait in 2007, and Algeria in 2009^[9]

In 2009, formal proposals are also being discussed in Yemen and Saudia Arabia to shift to a Saturday to Thursday work week. This trend is to allow for respect of Fridays as the day for Jummah prayers in Muslim countries while also having more working days to overlap with international financial markets.

[edit] Australia

In Australia, the working week begins on Monday and ends on Friday. The official working week varies between 35 and 40 hours per week (not including breaks).

[edit] Bahrain

The standard business office workweek in Bahrain begins on Sunday and ends on Thursday, with weekends being Friday and Saturday.

[edit] Canada

The standard business office workweek in Canada begins on Monday and ends on Friday, 40 hours per week.

[edit] China

In China, the working week begins on Monday and ends on Friday. China began the two-day weekend in 1995. Most workers work 5 days a week (including officials and most industries). Normally, the Chinese consider the week beginning with Monday and ending with Sunday. However, most shops as well as the museums and cinemas are open on Saturday and Sunday. Commercial establishments are generally open throughout the weekend.

[edit] EU

This section requires expansion.

In Europe, the standard full-time working week begins on Monday and ends on Friday. Most retail shops are open for business on Saturday. In the formerly communist states of EU, Ireland and the Netherlands, large shopping centres open on Sunday, however in the Netherlands this is highly controversial, as some political parties, especially the SGP^[10], tend to disagree with it. In some European countries such as Germany and Denmark, there are laws regulating open hours for shops. Shops must, with exceptions, be closed in the evenings and on Sundays.

[edit] Denmark

Denmark has a 37 hours working week.

[edit] France

The French people use different translations (fin de semaine, reposailles very rarely) but "weekend" is the most common usage. The standard workweek is Monday through Friday, both for offices and industry workers. The minimum holiday entitlement is now 25 paid days per year but that does not include Public Holidays. Shops are also opened on Saturdays, small shops may close one day during the week to compensate for it. By law only a very small number of specific shops are allowed to open on Sundays such as bars, cafes, restaurants and bakeries which are traditionally opened everyday but only during the morning on Sunday. However this cannot be forced on the workers. Prefets are allowed to authorize some shops, mostly small ones in the deserted centers of town or in touristic places, to stay open on Sundays.

[edit] Ireland

In Ireland the business work week is typically Monday to Friday with most businesses working core hours of 9am to 5pm. Retail is generally open all day Saturday and a short day Sunday (noon to 6pm)

[edit] Spain

Before the extension of the five-day workweek it was known as semana inglesa ("English week").

[edit] Poland

The workweek is Monday through Friday; 8 hours per day, 40 hours in total per week.

[edit] Portugal

The workweek is Monday through Friday. Approximately 40 hours per week.

[edit] Sweden

In Sweden, the standard workweek is Monday through Friday, both for offices and industry workers. There is no law regulating the workweek, or shop opening hours, only trade union agreements with companies. Shops are almost always open on Saturdays and often on Sundays, especially food shops and shopping centres outside cities, so that employees there have to work.

[edit] United Kingdom

The normal business working week is from Monday through Friday (35 to 40 hours depending on contract).

Laws for shop opening hours differ between Scotland and the rest of the UK. In England, Wales and Northern Ireland many shops and services are open on Saturdays and increasingly so on Sundays as well. In England and Wales the maximum opening times stores are allowed to open on are determined by the total floor space of a store.^[11] In Scotland however there is no restriction in law on shop opening hours on a Sunday.

The EU Working Time Directive regulates that workers cannot be forced to work for more than 48 hours per week on average (although the UK allows individuals to opt out if they so choose). The minimum holiday entitlement is now 28^[12] days per year but that includes Public Holidays. England & Wales have 8, Scotland has 9 and Northern Ireland has 10 permanent Public Holiday days per year^[13][14]

[edit] Hong Kong

The standard working week in Hong Kong is Monday to Friday for most local and international companies. A handful still work Saturdays, but the old six day week largely was abandoned following governmental changes in 2006, under which various administrative and judicial bodies moved to a five day week. However, many civil services and banks remain open to consumers on Saturday mornings, and most shops and restaurants open early and shut late, seven days a week.

[edit] India

In India, for most private enterprises, the standard full-time working week begins on Monday and ends on Saturday with half a day, making it a 5 1/2-day work week, roughly 50 hours per week. The weekend is Sunday. However, government offices, newer institutions, IT & ITES companies follow the international 40 hour week starting Monday to Friday.

[edit] Indonesia

The workweek is Monday through Friday, with weekends being Saturday and Sunday. Some companies in Indonesia still consider the workweek is from Monday through Saturday (half day for Saturday). However, the shops, and mall are still open on the holiday.

[edit] Iran

The standard business office workweek in Iran begins on Saturday and ends on Thursday, with weekend being Friday.

[edit] Israel

For most Israelis, the workweek begins on Sunday and ends on Thursday or Friday at noon^[15] to accommodate Jewish Sabbath, which begins Friday night. The standard workweek is 43 hours per week, while a workday is 8 hours per day.^[16]

[edit] Japan

The standard business office workweek in Japan begins on Monday and ends on Friday, 40 hours per week. This system became common between the years of 1980 and 2000. Before then, most workers in Japan worked full time from Monday to Friday, and half time on Saturday (called "Han don", means half-holiday. "don" from the Dutch word "Zondag"), 45–48 hours per week. On Friday many people say "HanaKin," which means "flowery Friday."

[edit] Kuwait

The standard business office workweek in Kuwait begins on Sunday and ends on Thursday, with weekends being Friday and Saturday.

[edit] Lebanon

In Lebanon, the working week is 40 hours, from Monday thru Friday, with Government institutions having a half day on Friday.

[edit] Malaysia

The normal working week in secular Malaysia is from Monday to Friday, and increasingly less half-day Saturday. There are a few northern and eastern states in Peninsular Malaysia which adopted the Sunday to Thursday working week.

[edit] Oman

The standard business office workweek in Oman begins on Saturday and ends on Wednesday, with weekend being Thursday and Friday.

[edit] Pakistan

In Pakistan the workweek runs from Monday to Friday, making it a 5 day workweek, 40 hours per week. Weekend start from Friday night till Sunday. However, most shops are open on Saturday and Sunday.

[edit] Philippines

In most cases, the workweek is Monday through Friday, 40 hours per week. But in some instances, companies choose to implement a 48 hours per week rule.

[edit] Saudi Arabia

In Saudi Arabia, as with some other Gulf states in the Middle East, the workweek runs from Saturday to Wednesday and generally a half day on Thursday. Schools are closed on Thursday and Friday (Friday being the Muslim holy day). In contrast to many Eastern and Western nations, commercial establishments are generally open longest on weekends.

[edit] Thailand

In Thailand, the workweek is Monday through Friday for approximately 40 hours per week (8 hours per day), as in European countries. However, most shops and some private companies also work and are open on Saturday and Sunday.

[edit] Turkey

In secular Turkey, the workweek is Monday through Friday, as in other European countries. However, most shops are open on Saturday and Sunday.

[edit] Morocco

The workweek is Monday through Friday. Office hours: Mon-Thurs 0830-1230 and 1500-1830, Fri 0830-1200 and 1500-1830.

[edit] United Arab Emirates

The normal business working week is from Sunday through Thursday. The maximum prescribed working hours for an adult employee is eight hours per day or forty-eight hours per week. However, the working hours may be increased to nine hours per day in the case of persons employed in trades, hotels, cafeterias, and as guards. Employees may not work for more than five consecutive hours per day without breaks for rest, meals and prayer. However, the resting and the meal breaks are not included in calculating working hours. In factories, where people work day and night shifts or jobs where, for technical and economical reasons, continued attendance is required, the UAE Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs specifies the manner in which employees may take intervals for rest, prayer and meals. Most malls are open 7 days a week.

[edit] United States

The standard business office workweek in the United States is from Monday through Friday, 40 hours per week. However, many businesses, particularly in the retail and service sectors, are open for business on Saturday and Sunday as well.

[edit] Weekends for students

Some colleges and universities afford students the opportunity to choose classes scheduled Monday-Wednesday and Tuesday-Thursday, giving the students a day on Friday. Some college students take advantage of this trend and go out to bars and nightclubs on Thursday nights leading to the phrase "Thursday is the new Friday." ^[17]

[edit] See also

• Working time – how much time people spend working in a day, week, or year
• Feria
• Labour and employment law
• Long weekend
• Waiting for the Weekend
• Weekend warrior
• Work-life balance
• TGIF

[edit] References

v • d • e Employment Classifications Casual/Contingent • Full-time • Part-time • Self-employed/Independent contractor • Temporary • Wage labour Hiring Employment counsellor • Application • Background Check • Cover letter • Drug testing • Contract • Interview • Job hunting • Job fraud • Probation • Referral • Recruiter (Employment agency • Executive search) • Résumé/Curriculum Vitæ (CV) • Work-at-home scheme • Selection criteria Roles Internship • Job • Numerary • Permanent • Permatemp • Supernumerary • Supervisor • Volunteer Attendance Break • Career break • Furlough • Gap year • Leave of absence • Long service leave • No call, no show • Sabbatical • Sick leave Schedules 35-hour workweek • Eight-hour day • Flextime plan • Four-day week • Overtime • Retroactive overtime • Shift work • Telecommuting • Workweek • Working time Wages Living wage • Maximum wage • Minimum wage (Canada, USA, Hong Kong) • Overtime rate • Paid time off • Performance-related pay • Salary • Salary cap • Working poor Benefits Annual leave • Sick leave • Parental leave • Health insurance • Life insurance • Disability insurance • Take-home vehicle Health & safety Ergonomics • Industrial injury • Occupational disease • Occupational exposure limit • Occupational health psychology • Sick building syndrome • Work accident (Occupational fatality) • Workplace noise • Workplace stress • Workplace wellness • Work-life balance • Workers' compensation Equality Affirmative action • Equal pay for women Infractions Employee handbook • Evaluation • Labour law • Sexual harassment • Sleeping while on duty • Workplace bullying • Workplace surveillance Willingness Anti-work • Job satisfaction • Refusal of work • Workaholic • Work aversion • Work ethic • Wage slavery Termination At-will employment • Constructive dismissal • Dismissal • Layoff • Letter of resignation • Resignation • Retirement • Severance package • Types of unemployment • Unemployment • Unemployment benefits • Wrongful dismissal Miscellaneous Dead end job • Overqualification • Recession-proof job • Underemployment • Unemployment rates

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