Socialites, are you here for California Representative Mark Takano’s bill proposing a four-day, 32-hour workweek nationwide?
Takano (D-CA), who represents California’s 39th district and is a part of the House Committee on Education and the Workforce, reintroduced the “Thirty-Two Hour Workweek Act,” earlier this month, according to a press release from his official government House Rep. website. If the bill is passed, it would amend the Fair Labor Standards Act by officially mandating the change from a five-day, 40-hour work week to a federal standard of four days — roughly 32 hours. The proposal, which is designed to encourage employers to either pay higher wages for longer hours or higher more workers, also requires that overtime pay is assessed for any work completed past the 32-hour mark. The bill would also apply to non-exempt workers in hourly positions in industries such as leisure and hospitality, transportation, construction, manufacturing, wholesale, and retail trade. Some salaried workers would also fall under the scope of the bill’s provisions.
The bill has been endorsed by multiple organizations including the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), 4 Day Week Global, Service Employees International Union and the United Food and Commercial Workers Union. In a statement on March 1, Takano described the bill as a part of the conversation of “social justice discourse,” and explained his belief that the 32-hour workweek could facilitate “a significant change which will increase the happiness of humankind.” He added that while that is “a very big statement,” it was also, “a big deal 100 years ago when we gave people the weekend by passing the Fair Labor Standards Act.” Takano, who has served in the United States House of Representatives since 2013, announced the reintroduction of the bill on the heels of a massive four-day workweek pilot program in the United Kingdom (U.K.). Roughly 61 companies employing nearly 3,000 workers recently completed a six-month pilot program of the 32-hour workweek run by the nonprofit 4 Day Week Global. Businesses reportedly experienced improved productivity, revenue, morale, and team culture while employees reaped rewards that included benefits for their health, finances, and relationships.
Additionally, more than 900 workers across 33 businesses in the U.S. and Ireland tested out the same program last year. Reports allege none of the aforementioned companies plan to return to a five-day workweek model.
According to CNBC, Takano first introduced his Thirty-Two-Hour Workweek Act to Congress in 2021. The bill failed to advance forward after it was endorsed by the Congressional Progressive Caucus. However, Takano’s sentiments about the bill remained strong over the years and he believes now is the perfect time to “get more and more people understanding the arguments for it,” to allow “the anxieties around change,” to subside.
“On average, U.S. workers work 200 hours more per year than workers in other developed countries,” Takano’s proposal noted. “The COVID-19 pandemic transformed the conversation around the future of work. It is time the United States equally prioritize quality of life and productivity.”
View additional details about Takano’s bill here.