Newsletter Article
Member Benefit
Published Fri Dec 17 2021
Could the four-day workweek be coming to America? Potentially, if the Congressional Progressive Caucus, the largest bloc of liberal lawmakers in Congress, have anything to say about it. On December 7, the caucus endorsed a bill proposed by Representative Mark Takano (D-Calif.) that would shorten the traditional 40-hour workweek to 32. The idea has gained traction worldwide as pilot programs in several countries have demonstrated no loss in productivity while increasing the overall engagement and satisfaction of employees. If enacted, the legislation wouldn’t cap the number of hours someone would work during the week. It would, instead, require employers to pay overtime past 32 hours. Certain types of work, such as salaried employees and gig workers, would not be covered; however, the majority of the American workforce would be. It’s assumed, though, that the sweeping legislation would lead to a cultural shift that would pressure employers only to require four days of work as the norm.
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