New Bill Proposes 32-Hour Work Week—Here’s How It Would Work

Newsweek ^ | September 11, 2026 | Aliss Higham

[TheDon]

A new bill in Congress would move the United States toward a 32-hour standard workweek, with supporters arguing that workers should benefit from productivity gains linked to artificial intelligence and automation.

The Thirty-Two Hour Workweek Act, introduced this week by independent Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Democratic Representative Mark Takano of California, would gradually lower the point at which many employees become entitled to overtime pay from the current 40 hours a week to 32. It would also seek to prevent employers from cutting workers' pay or benefits because their standard hours get reduced.

The measure does not mean American workers would automatically be ordered onto a Monday-to-Thursday schedule or something similar. The bill would change federal overtime law, effectively making it more expensive for employers to routinely require covered workers to put in more than 32 hours.

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TOPICS: Business/Economy; Government; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS:

[TheDon]

Do the Congressional commies have a good point?

It would change the definition of full time to 32 hours per week thus further cutting hours for part time employees to what 24 hours per week?

[Tell It Right]

How about the commies quit defining pay, overtime or otherwise?

[ClearCase_guy]

I believe wages are too low and have been too low for about 50 years.
I would like to see workers have higher wages.
The bill under discussion does not seem intended to deliver higher wages, it just tries to maintain current (low) incomes while requiring fewer hours of work.

In my opinion, it is solving the wrong problem.

[crusty old prospector]

It is working so well in Europa.

[BenLurkin]

[Ronald77]

And create deeper poverty which is exactly what the DSA wants.

[Codeflier]

It’s clear you’ve never had your own business. Making payroll for small companies is very stressful. You seem to want to add to that.

[EQAndyBuzz]

Are they expecting an employer to pay 40 hours a week for 32 hours of work?

[Libloather]

What does the socialist Sanders know about working? Another expert?

Bernie Sanders Spent $500K on Private Jets, Report Found

https://headlineusa.com/bernie-sanders-spent-500k-on-private-jets-report-found/

[Responsibility2nd]

Companies and employers are already incentivized to hire only part time employees to save on group health insurance, retirement plans and more.

This proposal would only increase the number of part timers.

[Openurmind]

Both parents with two jobs, zero parenting time, and still eligible for Food Stamps. Yay... Progress towards a better living standard!

[Responsibility2nd]

The Thirty-Two Hour Workweek Act, introduced this week by independent Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont and Democratic Representative Mark Takano of California....

 

This tells me all I need to know.

 

[ridesthemiles]

FROM A COMMIE WHO NEVER WORKED A PRIVATE SECTOR JOB IN HIS ENTIRE LIFE....

I WILL BE CHEERFUL WHEN HE ASSUMES ROOM TEMP

[ridesthemiles]

“HIGHER WAGES”===INCREASED INFLATION.

[bk1000]

Every new invention has made it possible for us to do MORE work in the same time. FedEx got your docs signed overnight. Internet and email made other communication instantaneous, yet a 40 hr work week has remained the standard for many. I was salaried, so I had to work until the job was done, so the 40 hr week was not really a thing for me.

[Abathar]

"Are they expecting an employer to pay 40 hours a week for 32 hours of work?"

Nope, they are expecting employers to still work them 40 hours but automatically get 8 hours of overtime added on.

No one can just remove 20% of production time and call it even and they know that.

This is guaranteeing that us horrible business owners pay overtime after 32 instead of 40, increasing both the paycheck and the payroll taxes we already pay for no increase at all.

[alexander_busek]

It would also seek to prevent employers from cutting workers' pay or benefits because their standard hours get reduced.

Would it also force potential founders who were planning on founding their own companies and hiring 40hr-a-week employees to go ahead and enact those plans - even though they now see how economically unfeasible that would be?

Regards,

[libertylover]

Are they expecting an employer to pay 40 hours a week for 32 hours of work?

That's exactly what they're expecting.

[shelterguy]

“”””It’s clear you’ve never had your own business. Making payroll for small companies is very stressful. You seem to want to add to that.”””

I did it for 40 years. It SUCKS. Most people don’t have a clue what it takes to keep a small business going.

[nitzy]

The opposite is to allow “free marketeers”.

Similar to “Enterprise Zones”, people should be able to claim the status of “Free Marketeer” so that typical employment protections and regulations don’t apply. They wouldn’t have discrimination protection, sexual harassment protection, OSHAA protections, unemployment insurance, health benefits, etc... but they also won’t be forced to pay into FICA and their employers won’t have to pay FICA or employer taxes either.

They can engage in truly a voluntary association with their employer which either one can walk away from if it ever becomes non-beneficial for either party. Almost as if they were all human beings with natural rights.

I’ll bet Free Marketeers would earn a higher salary on average.