On Wednesday, Bernie Sanders introduced legislation advocating for a 32-hour workweek without any reduction in pay.
The “Thirty Two Hour Workweek Act” proposes changing the standard 40-hour workweek established in 1938 to a shorter 32-hour workweek, meaning four days of work, each lasting eight hours.
Sanders’ proposal includes overtime pay at 1.5 times the normal rate for working over 8 hours a day and double pay for days longer than 12 hours.
“Today, American workers are over 400% more productive than they were in the 1940s. And yet, millions of Americans are working longer hours for lower wages than they were decades ago,” Sanders said.
“That has got to change. The financial gains from the major advancements in artificial intelligence, automation, and new technology must benefit the working class, not just corporate CEOs and wealthy stockholders on Wall Street.”
Opponents argue that Sanders’ proposal for a four-day workweek could hurt employers.
“It would threaten millions of small businesses operating on a razor-thin margin because they are unable to find enough workers,” Bill Cassidy, a Republican senator in Louisiana.
According to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, in 2019, over half of US workers surpassed a 40-hour workweek, with 39% working at least 50 hours weekly. The average full-time worker now puts in 42 hours a week. However, in 2023, eight million Americans took on second jobs, with 4.7 million balancing part-time gigs alongside full-time employment.
A worldwide trial of the 32-hour workweek by 4 Day Week Global, including companies from Australia, the US, and the UK, found that employees were more efficient and had better work-life balance, with a 15% revenue growth reported by participating firms.
