Adam Smith Institute

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An example of why Greece has such problems

So there was guidance that people who work at computer screens should have breaks from using computer screens:

"According to the European regulation, those using a computer should take a 15-minute break every two hours," the general secretary Ermolaos Kasses said.

This dates from the 1980s and seems fair enough given the computer screens of the 1980s. They might indeed have an effect upon your vision for example. But then what happened?

"It is not easy to have all those breaks during the day, so it was decided back then that it should be given as a day off every two months."

Facepalm.

Talk about entirely and totally missing the point. So, the upshot of this workplace safety regulation was that:

Greek civil servants stand to lose the six extra days of paid vacation they get each year—just for using a computer—after the government moved Friday to rescind a privilege that has been around for more than two decades.

It's also true that modern screens don't pose the same health risks. But imagine an economy riddled with these sorts of practices and you'll begin to understand why Greece is in such a mess.