Starting July 1, Greece will introduce a six-day work week, making it the first EU country with a 41-hour work week.
This new provision from the recent labour law will apply to the public sector, public utilities, banks, and private sector businesses currently operating on a five-day work week.
The change aims to address scheduling issues for businesses with continuous or 24-hour operations. These businesses have struggled with productivity due to the restriction on a sixth working day, which has led many workers to engage in undeclared labour. Employees working on the sixth day will receive 40% extra pay and 115% if it falls on a holiday.
Greek citizens work the most in all of Europe
According to scientists' data, Greeks work an average of 41 hours a week, making them the hardest-working nation in Europe. Now, this difference will become even more pronounced—thanks to the new regulation, Greeks will work an average of 48 hours.
The six-day workweek will encompass industries and companies that operate continuously around the clock, such as companies with continuous production lines. The Capital.gr portal explains: "This measure was adopted to meet emergency staffing needs in sectors during periods of intensified production." Companies that do not have continuous production but could benefit from uninterrupted work can also take advantage of the new law. This applies to industrial-manufacturing enterprises that produce and sell local products and those operating in the tourism sector.
Six-day workweek not for everyone
Government employees, including administration, teachers, lecturers, and bank employees, are excluded from the six-day workweek. The reasoning is that "they do not belong to the category of businesses operating continuously."
The employer decides on a six-day workweek. The law stipulates that they must notify the employee of the change no later than 24 hours before the next shift. The government is encouraging workers with increased pay—those who work a Saturday shift will receive an additional 40% of their daily wage, but if the sixth working day falls on a holiday, the bonus will be 75%.
Businesses must declare their eligibility to use the sixth work day to the PS ERGANI II system. Employment on the additional day is capped at 8 hours, with no overtime allowed. Employers must also record the working hours in the work time organisation declaration before shifts begin.
Non-continuous businesses can use the sixth day in cases of unpredictably increased workload by declaring the situation to the PS ERGANI II system in advance. The Labor Inspectorate will monitor compliance.
Despite this change, Greeks already work more hours than other Europeans. In 2022, the average weekly working hours in the EU were 37.5, while in Greece, they were 41 hours per week. Poland (40.4), Romania, and Bulgaria (40.2) followed.
Read more: Greek employment
