This is the first of two volumes of selected papers presented at the 1996 conference on "Changes in Working Time in Canada and the United States." Eleven chapters focus on weekly hours worked by individuals, including the recent changes in the distribution of weekly working time in Canada and the U.S., implications of the changing distribution of hours worked for earnings inequality, and efforts to reduce unemployment through mandated hours reduction. "Introduction and Overview" (Ging Wong, Garnett Picot) is followed by these three chapters in Part I that offer statistical overviews and analyses of the trends in working hours for Canada and the U.S.: "The Changing Workweek: Trends in Weekly Hours of Work in Canada, 1976-95" (Mike Sheridan et al.); "Trends in Hours of Work in the U.S." (Philip L. Rones et al.); and "Working Hard" (Linda Bell, Richard B. Freeman). Three chapters in Part II consider the role of working time on increased earnings inequality: "Working Time, Wages, and Earnings Inequality Among Men and Women in Canada, 1981-93" (Garnett Picot); "Patterns of Foregone Potential Earnings Among Working-Age Males, 1975-92" (Robert Haveman et al.); and "The Growth of Income and Employment Inequality in Australian Cities" (R.G. Gregory, Boyd Hunter). These two chapters in Part III examine issues related to labor supply and hours constraints: "Supply of Hours Per Day and Days Per Week--Evidence from the Canadian Labor Market Activity Survey" (Richard E. Mueller) and "Hours Constraints: Theory, Evidence, and Policy Implications" (Kevin Lang, Shulamit Kahn). These three chapters on Part IV focus on "short-time compensation (STC) programs": "Measuring the Effects of STC on Workforce Dynamics" (Karen Needels, Walter Nicholson); "Short-Time Work in the U.S.: Implications for Evaluation of STC Schemes" (Alec R. Levenson); and "Economic Activities and the Demand for Work Sharing in Canada" (Tim Siedule et al.). Cited author and subject indexes are appended. Each paper contains references. (YLB)