How many hours do you work per week?

[DirtyDeeds]

I've seen a lot of posts on Facebook lately stating things like, "Most Germans only work an average of 27 hours per week, while receiving full benefits from their employers, with half the healthcare costs as compared to Americans, and while recently having free college tuition enacted." That is just one example of many, with the point being that America's standard of living is not as high as many other advanced Western nations. Since this forum is very international, with a good deal of Europeans, Australians, Canadians, and Americans among others, I wanted to conduct a very unscientific poll here to see if these Facebook posts reflect the reality of people's lives. Please only answer if you work whatever is considered a full-time job in your country. If you don't, you can use a relative or friend who does as an example.

Please answer the following:

Your country?

How many hours per week do you work on average?

Do you receive benefits through your work (asking the cost would probably be too complicated here)?

Does your country offer a "free" public university education as a standard at this time? If not, what is the cost in your area?

So for me:

Country: USA

Hours worked per week (avg.): 44

Receive benefits: yes

Free university: No. I recently graduated and a public university education was about $10,000 per academic year with tuition, fees, and books/materials. That's a lot better than most of the USA. North Carolina has fairly inexpensive public university education.

[SoulMonster]

To make it more ineresting I won't say how much I specifically work, but the average for Norwegians with full-time employment:

Country: Norway

Hours worked per week (national avg.): 34.3 (2007 numbers)

Receive benefits: Yes. We have good health care, 5 weeks paid vacation, 52 weeks paternity/maternity leave, pension, unemployment benefits, and much more. It's a true welfare society.

Free university: Yes, we only have to pay for text books. Most studies at Uni are also open to everyone, except those with restrictions due to laboratory courses etc.

[DirtyDeeds]

To make it more ineresting I won't say how much I specifically work, but the average for Norwegians with full-time employment:

Country: Norway

Hours worked per week (national avg.): 34.3 (2007 numbers)

Receive benefits: Yes. We have good health care, 5 weeks paid vacation, 52 weeks paternity/maternity leave, pension, unemployment benefits, and much more. It's a true welfare society.

Free university: Yes, we only have to pay for text books. Most studies at Uni are also open to everyone, except those with restrictions due to laboratory courses etc.

Sign me up.

[Słash]

Im in to my family's business, but well the pay is not good.

I work around 42 hours a week. Get around $300 per month.

When I ask for more money, I am told that im living in their house where I don't have to pay any bills and I get food too.

But when im sick, I can take around a week off.

So well life sucks......

[Georgy Zhukov]

40 to 45. Sometimes more.

[AxlisOld]

Im in to my family's business, but well the pay is not good.

I work around 42 hours a week. Get around $300 per month.

When I ask for more money, I am told that im living in their house where I don't have to pay any bills and I get food too.

But when im sick, I can take around a week off.

So well life sucks......

You make $1.78 an hour? Tell your family to go fuck themselves.

Country: US

Hours per week: 40 in the winter, 50-60 in the summer.

Every 2 weeks I accrue 4 hours of both sick and vacation. Good health insurance and dental.

Free school? Negro please.

[Gracii Guns]

Based on my last full-time job:

Your country? UK

How many hours per week do you work on average? 37.5

Do you receive benefits through your work (asking the cost would probably be too complicated here)? I was given an iPad, 30 days paid holiday as well as Bank Holudays and gift vouchers totalling up to a few hundred pounds a year, if targets were met.

Does your country offer a "free" public university education as a standard at this time? If not, what is the cost in your area? No. I left 3 years of university with a debt of £22,222.22 exactly. The fees dramatically increased after I attended, so am lucky really.

Being self-employed really sucks in many aspects, I work far harder for very little money, but I don't have to drag my butt into an office to please my bosses who gave themselves extortionate pay rises while using staff salaries to bail the company out. And that is priceless.

[ags_rule]

Country: Northern Ireland

Hours: Fluctuates wildly - at the absolute quietest, 35 hours. At the busiest, around 55-60 hours. The average week would be around 45 hours (I'm a teacher)

Benefits: Standard perks of the job are the holidays and pension scheme; aside from that no benefits specific to the profession

University: Fees

Edited January 1, 2016 by ags_rule

[Słash]

Im in to my family's business, but well the pay is not good.

I work around 42 hours a week. Get around $300 per month.

When I ask for more money, I am told that im living in their house where I don't have to pay any bills and I get food too.

But when im sick, I can take around a week off.

So well life sucks......

You make $1.78 an hour? Tell your family to go fuck themselves.

I could make double the amount if I even work in Best Buy, but then the problem would be that I would to take a place on rent, pay the bills, pay for food etc etc. Even in that I won't save more than $300 a month or well maybe less than that.

[grouse]

Country: The Netherlands

Hours worked per week (avg.): 34

Receive benefits: yes

Free university: Used to be like that but not anymore, these days you get the money on loan from the government and you only have to pay it back if you are able to after getting getting your degree.

[AxlisOld]

Im in to my family's business, but well the pay is not good.

I work around 42 hours a week. Get around $300 per month.

When I ask for more money, I am told that im living in their house where I don't have to pay any bills and I get food too.

But when im sick, I can take around a week off.

So well life sucks......

You make $1.78 an hour? Tell your family to go fuck themselves.

I could make double the amount if I even work in Best Buy, but then the problem would be that I would to take a place on rent, pay the bills, pay for food etc etc. Even in that I won't save more than $300 a month or well maybe less than that.

Are you not familiar with the concept of minimum wage? You would do considerably better than double.

[Gracii Guns]

Deeds, and anyone else who thinks that life might be better outside the U.S.;

If you moved to an English-speaking country, you'll be bombarded with American media. Our channels buy your shows. You might meet people or have friends who either desire to live in the States or are actively pursuing American citizenship. Some of the poorer families I know will fly to Disneyland or New York on holiday- which is basically the most expensive holiday you can take from the UK. Some forgo any holidays at all for years, so they can save up to take their kids to Disney in Florida (even though the Disney in Paris is a day's train jouney away). The TV and movies generally portray comfortable living, abundance, beautiful weather and golden beaches.

And even when you're perfectly satisfied with your lot in Europe, even as an adult with the gift of perspective, you'll never truly shake the idea that life could be a little bit nicer in America.

And you're only alive once.

Edit: plus, I'm really cold.

Edited January 1, 2016 by Gracii Guns

[Powerage5]

Country: US

Hours worked per week: 45-50 on average

Receive benefits: No

Free university: No

[DirtyDeeds]

Deeds, and anyone else who thinks that life might be better outside the U.S.;

If you moved to an English-speaking country, you'll be bombarded with American media. Our channels buy your shows. You might meet people or have friends who either desire to live in the States or are actively pursuing American citizenship. Some of the poorer families I know will fly to Disneyland or New York on holiday- which is basically the most expensive holiday you can take from the UK. Some forgo any holidays at all for years, so they can save up to take their kids to Disney in Florida (even though the Disney in Paris is a day's train jouney away). The TV and movies generally portray comfortable living, abundance, beautiful weather and golden beaches.

And even when you're perfectly satisfied with your lot in Europe, even as an adult with the gift of perspective, you'll never truly shake the idea that life could be a little bit nicer in America.

And you're only alive once.

Edit: plus, I'm really cold.

Because.....

There are no cats in America, and the streets are paved with cheese!

[Gracii Guns]

Because.....

There are no cats in America, and the streets are paved with cheese!

You can't fool me!

Sabrina the Teenage Witch had a cat that spoke and Smellycat is an anthem. I can't think of any more, but these fictional cats will support my argument robustly.

Edited January 1, 2016 by Gracii Guns

[Apollo]

USA

40 hours per week

$30 an hour

20 hours of leave accrued per month

I pay About $100 another for insurance. $500 to add entire family

$5,000 per year for college/training

This is all after ten years of working there

BUT that is just for one more working day.....then this dude is retired from the work force. Come Monday at 5 pm - I'm out!!!!

[AxlisOld]

Wait...you're retiring? Aren't you like 40?

[arnold layne]

I am not working right now and live with a psychotic, controlling girlfriend. It sucks.

I did have a job a few weeks ago working overnight at a 7-Eleven. It paid $15.24 an hour with full benefits for 40 hrs a week. I am a dumbass though and quit for the holidays.

I am thinking of serving at a restaurant just for quick income and moving out as fast as I can.

[AxlisOld]

I am not working right now and live with a psychotic, controlling girlfriend. It sucks.

I did have a job a few weeks ago working overnight at a 7-Eleven. It paid $15.24 an hour with full benefits for 40 hrs a week. I am a dumbass though and quit for the holidays.

I am thinking of serving at a restaurant just for quick income and moving out as fast as I can.

You made 15 an hour with benefits, in Oklahoma, and you quit? Yep, you are a dumbass. I didn't realize 7-11 paid that well.

[arnold layne]

Yeah my life is spiraling out of control and this bitch is to blame.

[AxlisOld]

So leave. Quit whining and take some goddamn responsibility. Kids today...get off my lawn.

[sweetness]

Country: US

Hours Per Week: 30-40

Benefits: Yes

I didn't go to college

[arnold layne]

Country: US

Hours Per Week: 30-40

Benefits: Yes

I didn't go to college

What do you do?

[Bono]

Country: Canada
Hours worked per week: 48 hours every 9 days (4 days on, 5 days off)
Benefits: Yes full benefits incuding dental, health, penison etc etc
Free University: No, but free courses that can be applied to my field of work which can be a very wide range of things as long as I can justify it.

[Black Sabbath]

Country: USA

Hours: 40

Benefits: Great dental and health, as well as free services and company vehicle

I didn't go to college but they will pay if I go and can apply the course to my field of work