A new report by the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development has found that Estonians put in among the longest hours and have among the lowest life expectancy of those living in the OECD's 34 member states.
The organization's "Society at a Glance" report on social indicators published on April 12 found that Estonians work eight hours and 36 minutes per day, the fifth highest of the member countries and well above the OECD average of eight hours and four minutes.
Residents of Mexico put in the highest number of working hours per day – nine hours and 54 minutes – followed by Japanese, Portuguese and Canadians. Belgians, Danes and Germans spent the least time working.
The figure included unpaid work, which encompasses activities such as cooking, cleaning, childcare, laundry and other work done for consumption within the family. In unpaid work alone, Estonia ranked fourth highest, after Mexico, Turkey and Australia.
Estonia's average life expectancy at birth, 73.9 years, was the third lowest in the OECD, just slightly ahead of Hungary's 73.8 and Turkey's 73.6. It was nowhere near the top-rated member, Japan, where the life expectancy is 82.7 years.
The report also found that Estonia's unemployment rate of 14.1 percent was the third highest in the OECD, six points above the group's average of 8.1 percent.
ERR News
