WageIndicator Working Hours Database: Explanatory Note

Abstract

Working hours can be measured in several ways, depending on the sources used and the aim of measurement. It is common to distinguish at least six definitions related to hours of work per week (Bell and Elias 2003; Evans et al. 2001; Lukács and Antal 2022; Tijdens and Dragstra 2007). 

The WageIndicator working hours database focuses on the standard, contractual or agreed working hours per week and on the legal working hours, provided that these do not indicate the maximum hours. The word standard working week is used here to indicate the standard number of hours worked per week and in most countries these hours are adapted country wide. As a consequence of such regulated weekly working hours, overtime hours are defined as the hours worked per week in excess of
the standard working week.