Progressives in Congress endorsing bill calling for four-day work week

Progressives in Congress are lining up behind a bill that would shrink a regular week of work from 40 hours to 32, bringing the four-day work week to America.

The Congressional Progressive Caucus just endorsed the aptly named “32-Hour Workweek Act,” according to a statement from Rep. Mark Takano, the Democrat representing California’s 41st district. The caucus, comprised of nearly 100 legislators, is a key progressive voice and has made its power known during recent infrastructure negotiations.

“For far too long, workers across this country have been forced to put in longer hours as their wages barely budge,” chair of the caucus and Washington state Democrat Rep. Pramila Jayapal, said in a statement.

“It is past time that we put people and communities over corporations and their profits — finally prioritizing the health, wellbeing, and basic human dignity of the working class rather than their employers’ bottom line,” Jayapal said. “The 32-hour work week would go a long way toward finally righting that balance.”

In Iceland, a pilot of the four-day workweek didn’t lead to a drop in productivity — but it did result in workers reporting less stress and burnout, and higher levels of positivity and happiness. Countries like Scotland, Japan, and Sweden are all trialing the concept.

The UAE also just announced that federal employees will be moving to a four-and-a-half day work week starting in the new year, with the weekend now kicking off at noon on Fridays; they said that it will “boost productivity and improve work life balance.”

But Insider’s Chris Weller has argued that the four-day workweek remains a fantasy in America, due in part to the country’s organizational structure.