Bernie Sanders Re-Introduces New Bill To Congress Pushing For 32 Hour Work Week!

Noir Nation, what if your 40 hour workweek was chopped down to 32 hours workweek with your pay remaining untouched? A newly proposed bill is currently in discussion among Congress that could possibly make that idea a reality!

Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Mark Takano have reintroduced the Thirty-Two Hour Workweek Act, legislation that would reduce the federal workweek from 40 hours to 32 hours for covered, nonexempt employees. The bill would also require overtime pay for hours worked beyond the new threshold.

How Would It Work?

The proposal would not immediately turn the traditional five-day workweek into a four-day schedule, reports USA Today.

Instead, the overtime threshold would gradually decrease over four years. Under the proposal, the threshold would move from 40 hours to 38 hours in the first year, 36 hours in the second, 34 hours in the third and ultimately 32 hours.

The legislation also seeks to prevent employers from responding to the shorter standard by cutting workers’ pay or benefits. Supporters argue that American workers should benefit from productivity gains driven by technology, including artificial intelligence and automation.

“At a time when artificial intelligence and robotics will radically transform our economy, it is imperative that the financial gains from this new technology benefit working families, not just a handful of billionaires and corporate CEOs. One important way to do that is through a 32-hour workweek with no loss in pay or benefits,” Sanders said in a Sept. 8 news release.

What Could This Mean For Workers?

If the law is fully approved, the proposal could give workers more time away from work while maintaining their existing pay and benefits. It could also make employers think twice before requiring employees to regularly work beyond 32 hours because those additional hours would eventually trigger overtime requirements.

For workers, that could mean more time with their families, the ability to rest, changes in childcare, personal responsibilities or simply having a life outside of work.

However not all parties approve. Business owners have raised concerns about the potential cost of increased overtime and how a shorter standard workweek could affect employers, particularly small businesses. Critics argue that companies could respond by reducing hours, changing staffing levels or passing higher labor costs on to consumers.

The Impact

The bill was introduced in the House on September 8 and referred to the House Committee on Education and Workforce. It would still have to move through Congress and ultimately be signed into law before any changes take effect.

Noir Nation, what are your thoughts on this?