Starting from July 1st, the six-day workweek will be implemented in businesses that operate 24 hours a day, as well as in businesses that, although not inherently continuous, may operate around the clock Monday through Saturday in response to exceptional and unpredictable increases in workload, both in the public and private sectors.
Employees will receive a 40% increase in their daily wages for the 6th day of work and a 115% increase if it falls on a Sunday or a public holiday. Businesses now have the option to implement a six-day work contract instead of the current five-day workweek, adding an extra day.
It’s worth noting, according to reports from “Kathimerini“, that businesses with continuous operations can utilize the 6th workday without specific criteria. However, the Ministry of Labor has not yet sufficiently clarified the conditions under which this option can be employed.
According to Eurostat data for 2023, workers aged 20-64 in Greece have the highest weekly working hours in the EU, averaging 39.9 hours per week.
On the 6th day of work, employees are limited to a maximum of 8 hours, and both overtime and extra hours by the employee are prohibited. Exemptions from this law apply to those employed in the hospitality and tourism sectors. Furthermore, employees working night shifts during weekdays (00:00-06:00) are not permitted to work the 6th day during their night shift.
Businesses intending to implement the 6-day workweek must register with the Labor Inspection System II and confirm their eligibility under the specified category of businesses. The primary aim of the government is to address issues related to organizing rotating shifts and to reduce incidences of informal employment.
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