Should Congress reduce the standard workweek to 32 hours per week?
If passed, H.R. 1332 would amend the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to reduce the standard workweek from 40 to 32 hours per week with no loss of pay for workers. Under H.R. 1332, if employees work over the 32-hour threshold or longer than 8 hours a day, their employers must compensate them at least 1.5 times their usual per-hour rate; for employees working longer than 12 hours a day, the compensation rate increases to double their usual per-hour rate. The Act would take effect in yearly increments; employers would have to lower their standard workweek by two hours per year.
Sponsor: Rep. Mark Takano (Democrat, California, District 39)
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Opponents say
• "The government mandating a 32-hour workweek while requiring businesses to increase pay at least an extra 25 percent per hour of labor will destroy employers, forcing them to either ship jobs overseas or dramatically increase prices to try and stay afloat. The Biden administration has been dumping gasoline on his inflation fire. This would be napalm. If this policy is implemented, it would threaten the millions of small businesses already operating on razor-thin margins in part because they are unable to find enough workers. Employers would be forced to eliminate full-time positions in favor of part-time ones. If a business wants to voluntarily try a 32-hour workweek for themselves, federal law already allows it. We will hear from a business today that offers their employees a 32-hour workweek. If an employer thinks it is good for their business and makes them more competitive, that is their choice. But for businesses that need to maintain a 40-hour workweek to remain competitive, not only locally, but globally— a government-mandated 32-hour workweek would be catastrophic." Source: Sen. Bill Cassidy (Republican, Louisiana)
• "Many of the companies that have chosen to participate are small and trying to grow by enticing new workers or can reduce hours by removing extraneous meetings, coffee breaks, etc. — a point made by the study conductors themselves…But that’s not always the case. Given the fact that 75 percent of the workforce in the United States works with their hands, there are no extraneous meetings to cut out. There was no evidence that this increased workers’ happiness. In fact, in some cases, it decreased workers’ happiness because of the effect the change had on companies’ hiring practices. As a result of the mandate, many companies needed to hire additional part-time, cheaper workers…These [part-time] jobs are usually associated with lower pay and lack of benefits. For workers who might need to work two jobs to earn equitable salaries, stress and unhappiness will surely increase." Source: Liberty Vittert (Professor, Washington University in St. Louis)
• "SHRM believes in workplace flexibility that works for both employees and employers. We oppose this legislation because of its one-size-fits-all approach, which requires large organizations to pay overtime for any work in excess of 32 hours without reducing an employee's regular rate of pay. This bill would also create a significant logistical burden for human resource professionals, especially at companies with operations in multiple states. And it would undoubtedly be bad for business in California, exacerbating staffing shortages, raising labor costs and making life more difficult for scores of businesses struggling to recover from the worst days of the pandemic. Fortunately, there are better ways to enhance employees' work-life integration and attract and retain top talent. SHRM research shows 32 percent of organizations already offer a compressed workweek. Others have implemented flextime, shift work, part-time schedules and job sharing. Those flexibilities, which vary according to industry and organizational size, would be threatened by AB 2932." Source: Emily Dickens (Chief of Staff, Society for Human Resource Management)
Proponents say
• "While CEOs are making nearly 400 times as much as their average employees, many workers are seeing their family lives fall apart, missing their children’s birthday parties and Little League Baseball games, as they are forced to spend more time at work. What stresses them out even further is that many still do not have enough money to pay rent, put food on the table and send their kids to college without going deeply into debt. This should not be happening in the United States of America in 2024. It’s time for a 32-hour workweek with no loss in pay…The question is: Who will benefit from this transformation? Will it be the billionaire class or workers? In our view, the choice is obvious. At a time of massive income and wealth inequality and huge increases in productivity, the financial gains from new technology must go to workers, not just to the people on top." Source: Sen. Bernie Sanders (Independent, Vermont)
• "For too long, our country has prioritized corporate profits over working people and Americans have been forced to work longer hours, sacrificing time with loved ones. While policies enacted by President Biden and Democrats have finally started to raise wages for workers across multiple industries, it’s vital that health, well-being, and basic human dignity are valued over employers’ bottom lines. Establishing a 32-hour work week would go a long way toward finally righting that balance. And as new data from a recent pilot program show, the 32-hour work week is not only good for workers—it’s good for companies too. I'm proud to join my Progressive Caucus colleagues in supporting Rep. Takano's bill and look forward to continuing the fight together to put power back into the hands of working people as we ensure every worker has good benefits, better conditions, and an equal voice on the job." Source: Rep. Pramila Jayapal (Democrat, Washington, District 7)
• "We applaud Senator Sanders’ bold initiative that will create a better life for all Americans. 100 years ago, critics of the 5-day workweek predicted doom, as they worried that a weekend would set the United States’ economy back. Instead, it helped launch us to the front of the global pack by creating a thriving middle class. Once the 4-day workweek becomes a reality, every American will have nearly six years returned to them over their lifetime. That’s six additional years to spend with their children and families, volunteer in their communities, learn new skills, and take care of their health. The data shows that the 4-day workweek is a triple-dividend policy that benefits everyone – workers, companies, and society. Now is the time to act." Source: Vishal Reddy (Executive Director, WorkFour)
- Congressman Takano Reintroduces 32 Hour Workweek Act (Press Release)
- Bernie Sanders Proposes Reducing Americans’ Workweek to 32 Hours (New York Times)
- Republicans Pan Sanders’s 32-Hour Workweek Bill (The Hill)
- Maryland considers a bill incentivizing the 4-day workweek. Here's how the 5-day workweek became so popular in the first place.
- That Time America Almost Had a 30 Hour Workweek (Washington Post)
- Rep. Mark Takano’s Largest Donors (OpenSecrets)
