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A bill proposed by Senator Bernie Sanders would permanently reduce the standard U.S. workweek to 32 hours without lowering workers’ pay or benefits.
Sanders has introduced the Thirty-Two Hour Workweek Act, legislation that would shorten the standard workweek to 32 hours while ensuring employees do not lose wages or benefits.
Under the proposal, non-exempt workers would become eligible for time-and-a-half overtime pay after working more than 32 hours in a week, while shifts exceeding 12 hours in a single day would qualify for double-time pay. Sanders argues that although American worker productivity has increased by more than 400 percent since the 40-hour workweek was established in 1940, wages have largely remained stagnant while CEO compensation has risen dramatically.
The proposal has received support from major labor organizations, including the AFL-CIO and the United Auto Workers, which argue that workers should benefit from advances in artificial intelligence and automation. Supporters also point to trial programs in the United Kingdom, the United States, and Canada, where some companies reported higher productivity, reduced employee burnout, and increased revenues.
Although the legislation faces significant challenges in a divided Congress, it has renewed national debate over work-life balance and economic fairness in the modern economy.