Maximum weekly working hours (2024)

FAQs

What is the maximum hours you should work a week? ›

Such employees shall not be employed more than eight (8) hours in any workday or more than 40 hours in any workweek unless the employee receives one and one-half (1 ½) times such employee's regular rate of pay for all hours worked over 40 hours in the workweek.

The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) states that any work over 40 hours in a 168 hour period is counted as overtime, since the average American work week is 40 hours - that's eight hours per day for five days a week.

If you want to achieve the perfect blend of productivity, happiness, and time affluence, a more realistic goal is to work slightly below 40 hours per week. The research shows that even shaving an hour or two off of the standard 40-hour workweek can have huge benefits, both at work and at home.

A typical full-time workweek lasts around 40 hours in many nations. As a result, continuously working a great deal more than this cutoff point—for example, routinely surpassing 50 to 60 hours per week—is often seen as overworking.

In no case may the regular rate of pay be less than the applicable minimum wage. Ordinarily, the hours to be used in computing the regular rate of pay may not exceed the legal maximum regular hours which, in most cases, is 8 hours per workday, 40 hours per workweek.

A 30-hour workweek is a work schedule that allows employees to work for fewer hours per week than the standard 40-hour regimen while often keeping 75% of their salary and earning the full benefits. The program often involves flexibility.

It might not be the healthiest long-term solution to work 80 hours a week. However, it can sometimes be unavoidable. If you are working an 80 hour week, try to do it intermittently or for short periods. The most important thing you need to consider to avoid burnout is to keep a healthy sleep schedule.

The federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) sets a standard of a 40-hour work week. This act offers many protections but does not limit the number of consecutive hours employees can work weekly. FLSA also does not limit the number of hours in a workday.

A 40-hour work week (or workweek) is the accepted standard in today's workplace.

What are the benefits of a 20-hour workweek? Some of the main advantages of reducing your workload and only working 20 hours per week are: It can significantly improve your work-life balance. One of the main reasons why some people want to reduce their weekly workload is to have more time for personal activities.

How many hours of work is considered too much? ›

So how much work is too much? A recent study by the World Health Organization and the International Labour Organization shows that working more than 55 hours a week can have negative effects on your health. So what can you do to achieve a better work-life balance?

Working for extended periods beyond the usual 40-hour workweek can significantly increase the risk of developing cardiovascular diseases and stroke. Long work hours can lead to chronic stress, which can have a negative impact on the body over time.

The typical FLSA defined full-time work schedule would be 35-40 hours. That's what you would expect as a full-time employee. The truth is that there's no one-size-fits-all. Some people have a higher tolerance to long work hours than others.

Most research says a little more than 40 hours per week is the sweet spot. But if you can get by with less and still make enough and put out great work, you absolutely should. If it takes a bit longer to produce work that makes you proud, that's alright too.

“Working 55 hours or more per week is a serious health hazard. It's time that we all, governments, employers, and employees, wake up to the fact that long working hours can lead to premature death.” –Dr. Maria Neira (Director of the Department of the Environment at W.H.O.)

Although this schedule is still somewhat common today, some employees are increasingly logging far more work time – sometimes 50 or more hours per week. While some business owners may appreciate the dedication, there are significant downsides of maintaining that kind of schedule.

Risk of stroke rises by 35% and fatal heart disease by 17%, for those that work over 55 hours when compared to those who work 35-40 hours. Working more than 55 hours per week is now the leading occupational hazard and accounts for one third of the estimated work-related burden of disease.

If you feel like work is consuming your life, you're not alone. “Somewhere in the range of 40 to 50 hours per week is more than enough for most people,” says Randy Simon, Ph. D., a licensed clinical psychologist based in Montclair and Summit, New Jersey.