by 
Spixxy
ANSWERS: 5
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The French move towards the "35-hour week" was launched by two Acts, those of 13 June 1998 (first Aubry Act) and of 19 January 2000 (second Aubry Act). The U.S. work week (for full-time employees) is 40 hours. This question asked for an "average" work week and even though the work weeks of each country are 35 and 40 hours respectively, the actual hours a person works can be difficult to determine. Some employees in both countries work more or less than the stated hours.
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This depends on what category of worker you are talking about. In general, the 35-hour week applies only to a relatively small number of employees. For example, many companies have responded to the constraints of the 35-hour week by making more employees salaried workers (cadres au forfait), who are not concerned by limits on weekly hours. Another point to consider in comparison is that in France, breaks, including lunch breaks, are not counted as part of the working day, while in the US, they usually are. Thus a typical office day in France is 9 to 6, compared to 9 to 5 in the US. Over the year this works out to be about 5 weeks less working time for Americans.
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Having worked in the U.S.A. for 40 years, I can categorically state that I have never been paid for a meal break and no manager or employer has paid me for a meal break. While the labor regulations that I have read require 1 paid break (10-15 minutes) within a four-hour work period, they only require a 30-minute break. NO pay is involved. This includes hourly and salaried positions. For the sake of arguement, if I receive a paid 30-minute meal break that means that I work 2.5 hours less per week. This 37.5 hours per week. The French worker as a 35 hour per week work schedule. How does this "add up to" 5 weeks (175-200 hours) of less work for workers in the U.S.A. Your comment is absurd!
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All US labor laws say nothing about having to pay an employee for any break longer than the 15 minute break required every two hours if the work day is 6 hours or more. No one in the US is paid for lunch breaks. NO ONE. This is absolutely groundless. The average 40 hour a week workday in the US is 8 to 5 or 9 to 6 for this reason. I know nothing of the French workday, but the US workday is nothing like what is stated by marcparis.
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Sorry all you French haters, but French productivity is almost identical to a US worker's. The productivity per hour of a French worker is $52.9; the productivity of a US worker is $52.4. Don't believe me? Check out the OECD stats website, http://stats.oecd.org/WBOS/Index.aspx?DatasetCode=LEVEL Conclusion: The French are just as productive as the Americans but have a more balanced lifestyle!
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