Four-day workweek could soon be the new norm in the US. California Rep Mark Takano reintroduced a bill aiming to introduce this in the US following UK’s success. Read to know more.
Will the US say yes four-day workweek?
California Rep Mark Takano reintroduced a bill aiming to trim the traditional 40-hour work time to 32 hours after a pilot project in the UK. The program including several companies reported positive results. As per Takano’s statement, the Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO), the American federation of labor, the United Food and Commercial Workers Union, the Service Employees International Union, and 4 Day Week Global are endorsing the bill.
“Workers across the nation are collectively reimagining their relationship to labor. And our laws need to follow suit. We have before us the opportunity to make common sense changes to work standards passed down from a different era,” stated Takano. He is a democrat well known for making history as the first openly gay person of color to be elected to Congress. “The Thirty-Two Hour Workweek Act would improve the quality of life of workers, meeting the demand for a more truncated workweek that allows room to live, play, and enjoy life more fully outside of work,” added Takano, striving to make changes with the four-day workweek.
More on the four-day workweek bill
The shift to a four-day workweek is aiming to promote a healthier work-life balance. “On average, U.S. workers work 200 hours more per year than workers in other developed countries. The COVID-19 pandemic transformed the conversation around the future of work. It is time the United States equally prioritized quality of life and productivity,” highlights the proposal.
Additionally, Pramila Jayapal, the Washington State Rep and the original co-sponsor of the bill highlighted the matter. “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,” stated Jayapal. “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,” she added. (https://www.enov8.com/)
