The agreement assumes the shortening of the work week of VR members by approximately 45 min. per week. The goal is to make the labour market more family friendly. Each workplace will negotiate with its employees on the manner in which the shortened workweek is organised and can be anything from shortening the work day to increasing the number of days off.
Execution
The decrease in working hours enters into effect on 1 January 2020. Employers shall consult employees on proposals
for the arrangement of the decrease in working hours on the basis of the following options:
a) Each day is shortened by 9 minutes
b) Each week is shortened by 45 minutes
c) Accrued time during the year calculated at the end of the year
d) Other forms of working hours decrease
An agreement must be reached as regards the implementation of the working hours decrease before 1 December 2019.
If no agreement is reached, the working hours are automatically decreased by 9 minutes per day based on full-time employment.
Office workers:
Example of arrangements within a company: Shorter attendance each day
Example of arrangements within a company: Unchanged attendance except on Fridays
Frontline workers:
Example of arrangements within a company: Shorter attendance each day
Example of arrangements within a company: Unchanged attendance except on Fridays
Shortening working hours by cancelling coffee breaks
There is also a possibility of shortening the working week even further by cancelling coffee breaks. This must be done in full consultation with employers.
The coffee breaks are 35 minutes per day for frontline employees and 15 minutes per day for office workers.
Office workers
If coffee breaks are cancelled completely, it is possible to shorten the working week of office workers:
- by 2 hours per week
- or 8.67 hours per month
- or 94.8 hours a year (94 hours and 48 minutes)
- or 13.35 days per year.
Example of arrangements within a company: Unchanged attendance except on Fridays without coffee breaks
Example of arrangements within a company: Shorter attendance each day with no coffee break
Frontline workers
If coffee breaks are cancelled completely, it is possible to shorten the working week of front line workers:
- by 3 hours and 40 minutes per week
- or 15.50 hours per month
- or 173.01 hours a year
- or 24 days per year.
Example of arrangements within a company: Shorter attendance each day with no coffee break
If the coffee break of frontline workers is shortened from 35 min. to 20 min., the decrease could be:
• 2 hours per week
• or 8.67 hours per month
• or 94.8 hours a year (94 hours and 48 minutes)
• or 13.22 days per year.
Example of arrangements within a company: Shorter attendance each day with 20 min. coffee break
