American law places no limit on how many hours an adult may be required to work; it only requires a premium above 40 in a week. The EU Working Time Directive takes the opposite approach, capping average weekly working time at 48 hours including overtime, requiring 11 consecutive hours of daily rest and at least four weeks of paid annual leave. One system prices long hours, the other prohibits them.
The American design
No maximum. An employer may require 60 or 70 hours and the only consequence is the overtime premium, which is what the premium is for — it is a deterrent priced in money rather than a prohibition.
And for exempt employees there is not even that, which is why long hours concentrate among salaried staff.
The European design
The Working Time Directive caps average weekly working time at 48 hours including overtime, measured over a reference period rather than a single week. It also requires 11 consecutive hours of rest in each 24, a rest break where the day exceeds six hours, and a minimum of four weeks’ paid annual leave.
Member states implement it in national law and several go further. The United Kingdom retains an individual opt-out from the 48-hour average, which has to be voluntary and revocable.
Elsewhere
Statutory weekly caps with overtime limits are common across Asia and Latin America, frequently with a monthly or annual overtime ceiling in addition to a weekly one. Several countries have moved to shorter statutory weeks in recent years, and a number have introduced a right to disconnect covering contact outside working hours.
Why comparisons mislead
An American 40-hour week with a paid overtime premium and a European 48-hour cap with four weeks’ statutory leave are not measuring the same thing. Annual hours, statutory leave and public holidays together give a fairer comparison than any weekly figure.
If you work for a US employer from abroad
Local working time law generally applies where the work is performed, so an American company cannot export a no-limit regime to a team in a member state. This is a frequent and expensive surprise for employers hiring remotely across borders.
Common questions
Is there a maximum working week in the US?
No. Federal law sets no limit on hours for adults, only a premium above 40 in a week, and none at all for exempt employees.
What does the EU directive require?
An average 48-hour weekly cap including overtime, 11 consecutive hours of daily rest, a break on days over six hours, and four weeks' paid leave.
Is the 48-hour cap per week?
It is an average over a reference period rather than a hard weekly ceiling, so busy weeks can be balanced by quieter ones.
Can workers opt out?
The United Kingdom retains an individual opt-out from the 48-hour average, which must be voluntary and revocable.
Which law applies if I work remotely abroad?
Generally the law where the work is performed, so a US employer cannot export a no-limit regime to a team overseas.