Bernie Sanders introduces bill to shorten standard work week to 32 hours

Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) unveiled a new bill on Wednesday that would reduce the standard 40-hour work week, which has been in place for decades in the United States, to just 32 hours.

The "Thirty-Two Hour Workweek Act" seeks to amend the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 by lowering the maximum hours threshold for overtime compensation for non-exempt employees. Under the proposed legislation, workers would receive overtime pay at time and a half for workdays exceeding eight hours and double their regular pay for workdays longer than 12 hours.

Sanders emphasized that the bill would "protect" workers' pay and benefits to ensure no loss in compensation. "Moving to a 32-hour workweek with no loss of pay is not a radical idea," he said in a statement, pointing out that American workers are now over 400 percent more productive than they were in the 1940s, yet millions are working longer hours for lower wages.

"The financial gains from the major advancements in artificial intelligence, automation, and new technology must benefit the working class, not just corporate CEOs and wealthy stockholders on Wall Street," Sanders added. "It is time to reduce the stress level in our country and allow Americans to enjoy a better quality of life."

As chairman of the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP), Sanders held a hearing on the bill Thursday. The legislation has garnered support from several labor unions and has a companion bill in the House, introduced by Rep. Mark Takano (D-CA).

While polls indicate high public support for a four-day work week, and some companies and countries have already begun moving in that direction with positive results, not everyone is on board with Sanders' proposal.

Senator Bill Cassidy (R-LA) criticized the bill, saying, "A 32 hour work week for 40 hours of pay is one more example of the federal government promising free money. Nothing is free. It would kill jobs and increase inflation."

During the hearing, Roger King, senior labor and employment counsel at the HR Policy Association, warned that the proposal could lead to a "productivity gap" in many industries, resulting in "added costs" for consumers. He also argued that the bill would "interfere" with employee "flexibility" and cause a "worker shortage" for employers, the Daily Wire reported.