Bernie Sanders Revives Bill to Establish a 32-Hour Workweek Without Cutting Pay

WASHINGTON, D.C. — Senator Bernie Sanders has once again introduced legislation that would dramatically reshape the American workweek, proposing a gradual transition from the traditional 40-hour workweek to a 32-hour standard—without reducing workers’ pay or benefits.

The Thirty-Two Hour Workweek Act would phase in the shorter workweek over four years. If enacted, most non-exempt employees would become eligible for overtime pay after working 32 hours per week instead of the current 40-hour threshold.

The proposal would also strengthen overtime protections by requiring:

• Time-and-a-half pay for hours worked beyond 32 hours in a week.
• Double pay for any work exceeding 12 hours in a single day.

Sanders argues that the legislation reflects the realities of today’s economy, pointing to decades of technological advancement and rising worker productivity.

“American workers are producing far more than they did generations ago,” Sanders has argued, noting that productivity has increased by more than 400% since the 40-hour workweek became standard in 1940. Despite those gains, he says wage growth has largely stagnated after adjusting for inflation, while executive compensation has climbed to nearly 400 times that of the average worker.

According to Sanders, advances in artificial intelligence, automation, and other workplace technologies should improve workers’ quality of life by reducing working hours rather than simply increasing corporate profits.

Supporters of the bill also point to growing evidence from four-day workweek pilot programs around the world. In the United Kingdom, more than 60 companies participated in a large-scale trial involving roughly 3,000 employees. Many businesses reported improvements in productivity, lower employee burnout, better morale, and higher worker retention. Average revenues also increased during the testing period.

Similar pilot programs conducted in the United States and Canada have produced comparable results, with many participating employers choosing to permanently adopt shorter work schedules after the trials concluded.

Advocates say a 32-hour workweek could improve work-life balance, reduce stress and burnout, create more time for family and personal pursuits, and potentially boost overall productivity by allowing employees to work more efficiently.

Business groups, however, have raised concerns that the proposal could significantly increase labor costs, particularly for small businesses and industries that rely on shift-based staffing. Critics argue employers may need to hire additional workers or absorb higher overtime expenses to maintain current operating hours.

The legislation faces an uncertain path in Congress, where previous attempts to establish a national 32-hour workweek have struggled to gain bipartisan support. Even so, the proposal continues to fuel a broader national conversation about the future of work as artificial intelligence and automation rapidly transform the American workforce.