Proposed bill would shorten California workweek to 32 hours.

[Zorro]

A proposed bill winding its way through the state Legislature could make California the first state in the nation to reduce its workweek to four days for a large swath of workers.

The bill, AB 2932, would change the definition of a workweek from 40 hours to 32 hours for companies with more than 500 employees. A full workday would remain at eight hours, and employers would be required to provide overtime pay for employees working longer than four full days.

The bill was authored by Assembly Members Cristina Garcia (D-Bell Gardens) and Evan Low (D-San Jose). At the federal level, a bill by Rep. Mark Takano (D-Riverside) is pushing for similar changes under the Fair Labor Standards Act.

Reached by phone Friday, Garcia said the idea was prompted in part by the exodus of employees during the COVID-19 pandemic, many of whom were seeking a better quality of life. More than 47 million Americans voluntarily quit their jobs in 2021, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.

https://www.latimes.com/california/story/2022-04-08/proposed-bill-could-make-california-the-first-state-to-implement-a-4-day-workweek

[rownesheck]

1. Well.

I guess I'm moving to California if this passes. I actually feel working more than 20 hours per week should be considered abuse, but I guess this is a start.

[gldstwmn]

2. This could be a good thing.

According to the linked article:
Iceland ran two large-scale trials of the concept between 2015 and 2019, in which about 1% of the nation’s workforce reduced their workweek to 35 or 36 hours with no reduction in pay.

The nation found that productivity and service remained the same across the majority of trial workplaces, and worker well-being increased dramatically across a range of indicators, including perceived stress and burnout and health and work-life balance.

As a result of the trials, at least 86% of the country’s workforce are now working shorter hours or gaining the right to shorten their hours.

“The fact of the matter is many other companies are already doing this, and other countries too, so I think this is the direction we’re going,” said Low, the bill’s co-author, noting that many companies that have tried similar strategies have also reported better customer engagement and lower utility costs.

[Skittles]

3. heck I would love to work 40 hours

I have been averaging 50 hours for years.

[LuckyLib]

4. Californians spend outrageous amounts of time getting to and

from work. It’s time for all of us to find more to life than the almighty job.

[Mike Nelson]

5. Hmm...

... good for hourly workers, for sure. Overtime pay starts earlier. I know I always worked way more that 40 hours... sometimes at different jobs. I would probably still work the same, but get treated better. The work force in California will strengthen... then, they will have more money to spend!

[brooklynite]

6. Prediction: it won't happen...

...and if it did, it wouldn't affect private employment hours.

[Buckeyeblue]

7. We would all be more efficient at 6 to 6.5 hour work days

Start at 9 and end at 3:30. You'd have plenty of time to exercise, cook good meals and spend better time with family. Surely the party of family values could get behind this.