Essay 237 – Laws to limit working hours for employees

GT Writing Task 2 / Essay Sample # 237

You should spend about 40 minutes on this task.

Write about the following topic:

Some countries have introduced laws to limit working hours for employees.

Why do you think these laws were introduced?
Do you think it is a positive or negative development?

Give reasons for your answer and include any relevant examples from your own knowledge or experience.

Write at least 250 words.

Model Answer:

In many countries, governments have enacted restrictions on working hours for jobholders. This essay will discuss the possible reasons why these acts came into force, and suggest that this is a positive development because it reaps various benefits.

To commence with, prolonged working hours have been on the rise for many years, resulting in a growing number of employees developing health issues related to work pressure. It is also associated with the mental and social well-being of employees. Every year, long working hours lead to many early deaths from cardiac arrests and ischemic heart disease. For example, in an international study of the loss of life and health associated with working long hours, ILO and WHO joint estimate reveals that around half a million people, in 2017, died from stroke as a result of having worked at least 52 hours a week. The COVID-19 pandemic had also worsened the situation. A case in point is a study of 4.2 million employees from Latin America, Australia, and Europe in 2019, which shed light on the fact that the average working hours had risen by 52.4 minutes. Therefore, there is a justification for states to introduce laws to prohibit long working hours.

Defined working hours laws are a positive development as they prove advantageous to employees and employers. In simple words, reducing working hours helps employees devote their spare time to their family and friends, thereby establishing a healthy personal and professional life. It also enhances their performance and job loyalty which benefits employers. Apart from that, it reduces unemployment. When employees work for limited hours, the necessity of increasing employees to make up for the fewer working hours emerges, which brings down unemployment. It is, therefore, evident that legal maximum working hours is a positive development.

To recapitulate, severe health, social and psychological issues caused by indecent working hours have provoked the authority to adopt laws to limit working hours. It is a positive development as these laws confer various advantages to workers as well as employers.