{
  "title": "Are the French Happy with the 35-Hour Workweek?",
  "publication": "IMF Working Papers, November 1, 2006",
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  "summary": "Legally mandated reductions in the workweek can be either a constraint on individuals' choice or a tool to coordinate individuals' preferences for lower work hours.",
  "sections": [
    {
      "heading": "Research question and context",
      "content": "- Legally mandated reductions in the workweek can be either a constraint on individuals' choice or a tool to coordinate individuals' preferences for lower work hours.\n- The study confronts these two hypotheses by examining the workweek reduction in France from 39 to 35 hours, which was first applied to large firms in 2000."
    },
    {
      "heading": "Data and methodology",
      "content": "- Quasi-experimental design exploiting the timing difference by firm size (large firms first).\n- Data source: French labor force survey."
    },
    {
      "heading": "Key findings",
      "content": "- The law constrained the choice of a significant number of individuals:\n  - Dual-job holdings increased.\n  - Some workers in large firms went to small firms where hours were not constrained.\n  - Others were replaced by cheaper, unemployed individuals as relative hourly wages increased in large firms.\n- Employment of persons directly affected by the law declined.\n- The net effect on aggregate employment was not significant."
    },
    {
      "heading": "Subjects and keywords (as reported)",
      "content": "- Subject: Employment, Income, Labor, National accounts, Unemployment, Wages\n- Keywords: business cycle, coordination, Employment, Europe, firm employee, firms vis-à-vis, Income, job-sharing, labor force, large firm, minimum wage, small firm, Unemployment, Wages, welfare, work hour, Workweek, workweek reduction, WP\n\n---\n\n Content in this bundle\n\n- Wp06251\n  - Wp06251 (Markdown version){rel=\"alternate\" type=\"text/markdown\"}\n  - Wp06251 (PDF){rel=\"external\" type=\"application/pdf\"}\n\n---\n\nSource: https://www.imf.org/en/publications/wp/issues/2016/12/31/are-the-french-happy-with-the-35-hour-workweek-19897"
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    "Authors: Marcello M. Estevão, Filipa G Sa",
    "Published: November 1, 2006",
    "Series: IMF Working Papers",
    "DOI: https://doi.org/10.5089/9781451865110.001",
    "Legally mandated reductions in the workweek can be either a constraint on individuals' choice or a tool to coordinate individuals' preferences for lower work hours.",
    "The study confronts these two hypotheses by examining the workweek reduction in France from 39 to 35 hours, which was first applied to large firms in 2000.",
    "Quasi-experimental design exploiting the timing difference by firm size (large firms first).",
    "Data source: French labor force survey.",
    "The law constrained the choice of a significant number of individuals:",
    "Employment of persons directly affected by the law declined.",
    "The net effect on aggregate employment was not significant.",
    "Subject: Employment, Income, Labor, National accounts, Unemployment, Wages",
    "Keywords: business cycle, coordination, Employment, Europe, firm employee, firms vis-à-vis, Income, job-sharing, labor force, large firm, minimum wage, small firm, Unemployment, Wages, welfare, work hour, Workweek, workweek reduction, WP",
    "**Wp06251**"
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