China Business Hours
From ChinaTravelGuide
China adopted the five-day work week nationwide in 1995. China's Labor Law stipulates that work hours not exceed eight hours a day or 44 hours a week on the average. Employees are entitled to a five-day paid vacation after serving the same employer for more than one year and less than ten years. Companies that do not give eligible employees their earned vacation time must pay them three times the amount of their full daily salaries.
The regular working hours differs between different cities and companies. But it's generally is between 8:00am and 6:00pm, Monday through Friday with a lunch break from 12:00pm-2:00pm.
Afternoon sleep (wushui in Chinese) (午睡) is a common habit in Mainland China and Taiwan, especially in the summer time. It lasts between one and three hours. Almost all schools in Mainland China and Taiwan have a half-hour "nap period" right after lunch.
The following is a general guideline of the working hours in China. Local variations occur.
- Government offices usually work from 9:00am-5:00pm with one-hour afternoon sleep. Saturdays and Sundays are off.
- Public and private companies usually work from 9:00am-5:00pm with one-hour lunch break with Saturdays and Sundays off.
- Larger bank branches in Chinese major cities are open seven days a week from approximately 9am-5pm, although some banks close between 12-2pm. If you need to use banking services it's safest to go on a weekday before or after lunchtime.
- Hospitals, post offices are always open daily from 8:30am-9:30pm to 4pm-6pm with its hospital emergency centers usually open 24 hours.
- Tourist attractions are usually open daily from 9:00am to 6pm. Local variations occur.
- Hotels are open the round-the-clock to any customers.
- Restaurants and bars are open from around 10:00am to the late night.
- Shops, department stores and supermarkets are open every day from 08:30-09:30am to 9:30pm, including public holidays.
