The United States puts a 32-hour workweek on the table: working less while maintaining current pay
The proposal seeks to progressively reduce the weekly working hours
The four-day workweek is gaining ground again in the United States. A group of lawmakers has brought to Congress a proposal that aims to change one of the most established rules of the U.S. labor market: the 40-hour workweek as the benchmark for starting to count overtime.
The initiative proposes reducing that limit to 32 hours . And there is one especially striking detail: the reduction in working hours should not translate into a pay cut for workers. In other words, the idea would be to work fewer hours while keeping the same pay.
Change would not come all at once
The project, driven by Senator Bernie Sanders and Congressman Mark Takano, envisions a gradual transition until reaching 32 hours per week . The intention is for companies to have enough leeway to adapt their schedules and organization.
One of the main changes would occur in the calculation of overtime hours. Currently, workers begin to accrue overtime once they exceed 40 hours per week. Under the new proposal, that threshold would be set at 32.
For an employee used to an eight-hour workday over five days, the change could be as simple as eliminating one workday. In other cases, companies might choose to distribute those hours differently throughout the week.
Supporters of the measure believe that working less can have positive effects on rest and productivity . The idea is that an employee who arrives at work less tired can make better use of the hours they spend there. It also aims to reduce the strain associated with overly long working days.
But the proposal faces a complicated debate ahead. For many companies, maintaining wages while reducing hours means increasing the real cost of each hour worked. The impact could be especially significant for businesses that need to maintain continuous service and depend on shifts.
Furthermore, the fact that the proposal has reached Congress does not mean that it will automatically become law . It would still have to go through the entire U.S. legislative process.
