Available information on twentieth century increases in leave and holiday entitlements are analysed in an attempt to quantify the decline between 1948 and 1982 in the hours scheduled to be worked in the standard working year. Annual leave, long-service leave, paid public holidays, sick leave, maternity leave, study leave, and leave without pay are discussed. The decline in the standard working year is calculated: labour productivity would have had to rise by an average of 0.2 per cent a year to provide an off-setting effect.