Wednesday, May 19, 2010

Government Business Hours

Czech government offices have the craziest business hours. Úřední hodiny are the hours open to the public and it makes me wonder, at times, how anything gets done around here.

On Mondays and Wednesdays, government offices are normally open from 8 AM - 5 PM. And if you're lucky then also until Noon on Fridays. But don't forget that the office will be closed for an hour during lunch time. So much for trying to run out and get something done during your lunch break.

Therefore, if you have to go to the foreign police, the land registry, the business registry, the tax office, the unemployment office, etc., then you need to do it on specific days.

I wonder if the bureaucracy is a hold over from communism? But it's been 20 years since the Velvet Revolution. I mean, seriously, what do the bureaucrats do during the rest of the week? None of my Czech friends have been able to tell me. They seem to wonder the exact same thing.

1 comment:

  1. I think opening hours at unemployment office are not a problem, becouse they are for people who are unemployed :)
    Anyway, "what do the bureaucrats do during the rest of the week?" - the usual explanation is they are processing the papers thy collect in business hours :)

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