The push for a 4-day workweek resurfaces in Congress

Washington — Two senators have reintroduced a bill to establish the 32-hour workweek as an American standard.

Workers wouldn’t lose pay under the bills, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) said March 13.

Sanders and Sen. Laphonza Butler (D-CA) are sponsors of S. 3947. Rep. Mark Takano (D-CA) introduced similar legislation (H.R. 4728) in the House in July 2021. He then reintroduced a similar bill (H.R. 1332) in March 2023. However, that bill is currently with the Republican-controlled House Education and the Workforce Committee and will likely not receive any consideration. 

“Moving to a 32-hour workweek with no loss of pay is not a radical idea,” Sanders said in a press release. “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. 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. It is time to reduce the stress level in our country and allow Americans to enjoy a better quality of life. It is time for a 32-hour workweek with no loss in pay.”

During a March 14 hearing on the proposal of a shorter workweek, Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA) said a government-mandated 32-hour workweek would be “catastrophic.”

Cassidy continued: “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. … If an employer thinks it is good for their business and makes them more competitive, that is their choice.”