Purpose:
To promote a healthier work-life balance, increase employee satisfaction, reduce burnout, and maintain or improve productivity across all sectors of the economy.
Scope:
This policy applies to all employees in public and private sectors, with specific adaptations for essential services and industries that require continuous operations.
Work Schedule:
Standard Work Week: Four days per week, totaling 32 hours. Employees may work from Monday to Thursday or Tuesday to Friday, depending on their employer’s needs.
Daily Work Hours: Employees will work 8 hours per day.
Compensation:
Employees will receive the same pay as they would for a traditional 40-hour work week to ensure no loss of income.
Operational Requirements:**
Essential Services: Organizations providing essential services must ensure there is no disruption in service. Flexible scheduling, staggered shifts, or other arrangements may be implemented to maintain continuous operation.
Productivity Expectations:
Employees are expected to maintain or improve their productivity levels. Regular performance reviews and assessments will be conducted to monitor the impact of the 4-day work week.
Implementation:**
Employers will develop specific guidelines and schedules that suit their operational requirements and ensure fair access to the 4-day work week for all employees.
Employees must coordinate with their managers to ensure adequate coverage and task completion.
Regular feedback and reviews will be conducted to assess the policy’s effectiveness and make necessary adjustments.
Compliance and Enforcement:**
Employers must comply with the policy and ensure fair implementation.
The government will provide oversight and support to help businesses transition smoothly.
I love the idea of a 32 hour workweek BUT I disagree with the expectation that it has to be a four day per week. I would appreciate the flexibility of working 5-6 hour days, so that you don’t have to find a ten hour babysitter when your kids are still babies, and when they go to school, if I get off a little early to pick my kids off from school.
The 32 hour work week was proposed by a Dem state legislator, and a federal senator, both of them from California. But they received pushback so they never made it to the floor for a vote. First of all, some workers complain that they will lose 8 hours of pay. In addition, businesses disliked having to pay more over-head costs, for example the cost of insurance, among other things. The state 32 hour work week was more liberal, and demanded that the workers be paid that lost 8 hours, however many people don’t like the idea of paying for work not being performed for obvious reasons.
As a compromise, I suggest that full time workers should have a right to request 8 unpaid hours off per week. We could set limitations similar to FMLA (for example, the worker must have been employed there for at least one year, and the employer has to have at least 50 employees in a 75 mile radius, something like that).
I posted a SIMILAR idea in my proposal below, although I limited the right to the 8 hours off to full time working parents and relative caregivers:
I do not agree that the 32-hour week should be paid the same as the 40-hour week, but do believe people should receive full time benefits.
I am a mom of two, work full time, have a chronic illness that is exacerbated by stress, found out how bad the public schools have gotten (and I’m in a “good school district”) so I volunteered with other concerned parents to establish a microschool at my church, take care of my home, and still try to make time to be present with my kids and husband. How are the citizens of this country supposed to be involved in revitalizing America when we are all sick and overworked? I was able to get a reduced work week for about a year through FMLA (receiving 80% of my pay because I was working 20% less) and my health vastly improved, but my employer will not give me a reduced work week outside of FMLA. I would gladly take 80% of my pay if I could work 20% less.
I’ll attach a meme about how overworked moms are but, instead of working 9-5, most of us are required to work 8-5 and tack on a daily commute.
