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Comment by jcvhaarst | Hacker News Reader

Please people, step out of your USA bubble. I (Dutch guy) haven't had a more than 4 day workweek in the last 20 years.

It is _your_ choice to "work" 5 days.

The 40 hour workweek wasn't created for the worker's benefit, it was created because the owner of the factory saw that that was the most efficient. Paying people to work longer didn't give him benefit.

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It’s definitely not just a US thing. In NZ the vast majority of people work 5 days. I suspect probably the same in AU and UK.

Definitely also still the case in Denmark, which is a stone's throw away from the Dutch. Don't think this is in any way illustrative of a US-bubble.

> Please people, step out of your USA bubble

This is an article from the New York Times. New York is in the USA.

Hell I’m in the USA and I work a four day work week (four six hour days!!). Last time I was job hunting I simply told every prospective employer my desired schedule and I found one small organization that was fine with that. It’s life changing!

I’m not sure what you mean by “choice”? Even in NL, the majority of companies and contracts are for 5 days. And a 4-day negotiation always comes with a 20% pay cut, for monthly salary, resulting bonus, and holiday bonus.

Most of Europe works 5 days, 40 hr weeks. Sounds like you're in a bubble.

But 40 hours with or without lunch breaks? Based on the stereotypical 9-to-5 job, in the UK lunch breaks seem to be paid, so at a guess there's only 35 to at worst 37.5 actually worked hours per week.

In Germany on the other hand lunch breaks typically aren't paid, and a 40 hr week means 40 actually worked hours, plus however long your lunch breaks are (half an hours is the legal minimum for an eight hour workday).

Speaking of bubbles I think you're stuck in a bubble that only applies to your career choice.

I highly doubt your emergency services just get the choice to work when they feel best.

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