 Through the 1860s the work schedule was 11 hours (7am-6pm) per day and 6 days per week.And yet, there was a long-standing tradition of allowing up to 4 unpaid personal days off per month.It is well known, for instance, that during slow times in the shop, John C. would hire idle employees to work on his property, farms, or, as in 1879, build the Town Hall as a memorial to his late father and mother.