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Evaluating the Impact of a Working Time Regulation on Capital Operating Time: The French 35-hour Work Week Experience

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  • Fabrice Gilles

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type="main" xml:id="sjpe12067-abs-0001"> In this article, we evaluate the impact of diminishing weekly working hours on capital operating time using the French 35-hour working week experience. We merge the French survey on Capital Operating Time (COT, Banque de France, Central Bank of France; 1989–2004) and administrative Working Time Reduction agreements files (WTR, DARES, French Ministry of Labour; May 2003). We construct shift-work-based capital operating time indicators. Using differences-in-differences econometric models, we show that the implementation of the 35-hour work week did not induce any reduction in COT. Hence, firms increased shift-work to compensate for the decrease in working hours.

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  • Fabrice Gilles, 2015. "Evaluating the Impact of a Working Time Regulation on Capital Operating Time: The French 35-hour Work Week Experience," Scottish Journal of Political Economy, Scottish Economic Society, vol. 62(2), pages 117-148, May.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:scotjp:v:62:y:2015:i:2:p:117-148
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    1. Fabrice Gilles, 2015. "Evaluating the Impact of a Working Time Regulation on Capital Operating Time: The French 35-hour Work Week Experience," Scottish Journal of Political Economy, Scottish Economic Society, vol. 62(2), pages 117-148, May.
    2. Luigi Aldieri & Bruna Bruno & Concetto Paolo Vinci, 2022. "Employment Support and COVID-19: Is Working Time Reduction the Right Tool?," Economies, MDPI, vol. 10(6), pages 1-14, June.

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