Is it really worthwhile to set up standard working hours in Hong Kong? – Defects of standard working hour system Introduction
The standard working hour system is the most commonly implemented working hour system utilized by both developed and developing countries to protect the right of 4employees. As one of the economies in which the employees suffer the longest working hours, Hong Kong is now preparing to introduce the standard working hour system to protect employees. In addition to governments, Mattesini and Quintieri (2006) also consider it as an effective way to lessen the unemployment rate after their study on Italy during the great depression. However, the research of them may be limited. Thus this paper serves to argue that it is unwise for the Hong Kong government to establish the standard working hour system in Hong Kong because of the possible negative influence it may bring, for example, the negative effect on the economy, the increase in production cost, and the ineffectiveness to reduce the unemployment rate.

The defects of the standard working hour system
Increasing the production cost
If standard working hour system is established, thus extra working time beyond the standard working hour is required to produce the same products. These hours could be accomplished by either inflicting overtime work on present workers or hiring additional workers. Either of the two alternatives would create odditional cost for employers. In another aspect, it seems that employers would prefer the former pattern to finish the work. A survey by Marchand, Rault and Turpin (1983) showed that after the implementation of a law to cut weekly working hours in France in 1982, the percentage of workers whose salary did not change was over 90%. The paper of Raposo and Ours (2010) about Portugal obtained a similar conclusion that monthly earnings remained almost