A new law will allow some Greek businesses to expand to a 48-hour work week, with the option for employees to work two more hours a day or an extra eight-hour shift. The change—a first for the EU—applies only to firms that operate around the clock and does not include food services or tourism. Employees will receive a 40 per cent pay increase for the extra hours, rising to 115 per cent on Sundays and public holidays. (The Guardian, CNBC)

Talking point: Greece’s government has said the move is “growth-oriented.” It’s meant to address labour shortages and fight against undeclared work. Extending work hours counters a global push for companies to adopt a four-day work week, which advocates argue would boost productivity. Pilot programs for a shorter work week have generally shown good results in terms of employee well-being. While both Canada and Greece face flagging productivity, it’s unclear whether increasing work hours would help. Greeks already work more hours than the OECD and EU’s weekly averages, yet the country is below the EU average for labour productivity.