4-day working week gains momentum in the US

The 32-hour working week is making waves in the US, with a bill challenging the relevance of a five-day working week making its way into the House of Representatives.

Earlier this month, Congressman Mark Takano, a member of the House Education and the Workforce Committee, reintroduced the Thirty-Two Hour Workweek Act, which calls for the standard working week to be reduced from 40 hours to 32 hours by amending the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

The bill, if passed, would require employers to pay overtime compensation to non-exempt employees whose work exceeds 32 hours in a standard working week.

As per a statement: “The Thirty-Two Hour Workweek Act does not make any changes or limit the number of hours that an employee may work in a standard workweek but amends the definition of the workweek in federal law.

“The majority of workers impacted would be non-exempt, hourly workers, but some salaried workers fall under the scope of the bill’s provisions.

“This legislation has the potential to increase wage-earning opportunities for a larger number of workers by limiting the number of hours required to reach the full-time threshold, as well as allow for better work/life balance and overall health outcomes.”

Mr Takano said instilling a 32-hour working week will “increase the happiness of humankind” and “improve the quality of life of workers”, allowing for “a more truncated work week that allows room to live, play and enjoy life more fully outside of work”.

This bill has been endorsed by 4 Day Week Global, the American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), the Service Employees International Union (SEIU), the United Food and Commercial Workers Union (UFCW), the Economic Policy Institute (EPI), the National Employment Law Project (NELP), and the Congressional Progressive Caucus (CPC). 

“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,” said Representative Pramila Jayapal, chair of the Congressional Progressive Caucus.

“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.”

Commenting on behalf of 4 Day Week Global, chief executive Dr Dale Whelehan said: “This act reflects the growing movement towards reduced working hours. Emerging research is making the irrefutable case that a four-day week results in positive benefits for organisations, people, and society.

“As CEO of 4 Day Week Global, I am delighted to formally endorse this act led by Rep Takano, to make another step forward towards a human-centered and evidence-based future of work.” 

The idea of a four-day working week has gained considerable traction in the Australian market, with many touting the benefits.

HR Leader spoke with Karin Sanders, professor in human resource management and organisational psychology at the UNSW Business School last year on the matter. She highlighted that a change to a four-day working week might actually see an increase in productivity as burnout and job dissatisfaction could be reduced.