US Thirty-Two Hour Workweek Act legislation

Senator Bernie Sanders and Representative Mark Takano have introduced the Thirty-Two Hour Workweek Act in the U.S. Congress. The legislation seeks to amend the Fair Labor Standards Act by gradually reducing the federal overtime threshold from 40 hours to 32 hours over a four-year period.

The proposed phase-in would lower the threshold to 38 hours in the first year, 36 in the second, 34 in the third, and 32 in the fourth. Under this plan, overtime pay would be required for work exceeding 32 hours per week or eight hours per day, with double pay required for work exceeding 12 hours in a single day. The act includes provisions to ensure employers do not reduce regular pay or benefits in response to the change.

Proponents and labor unions argue the shift is necessary to distribute economic benefits from automation and artificial intelligence to working families. Conversely, opponents such as the Club for Growth suggest the measure could result in job losses and decreased affordability. While the bill does not mandate a four-day workweek, it would require overtime pay for any hours worked beyond the new threshold. The legislation faces a difficult path to passage in a Republican-controlled Congress.