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12/30/05

The Columbus Dispatch - Spain wants to give siesta a rest, add to workers’ family time

The Columbus Dispatch

Spain wants to give siesta a rest, add to workers’ family time

MADRID, Spain — Who could turn down a two-hour lunch fueled with good wine followed by a siesta? Spaniards would love to. Many have schedules chopped in half with extensive breaks, making the work day so long that home is a place they only visit. Now relief is at hand, at least for civil servants: government offices are closing earlier and offering flex time to help people spend more time with friends and family. Many Spanish civil servants work from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m., break for lunch, then come back as late as 4:30 p.m. for three hours. Add commuting time in the morning and evening and people spend 12 hours or more away from home every day. But now Spanish government ministries will close by 6 p.m. as part of a package of measures designed to help balance jobs and families.

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