Bernie Sanders and California Representative Mark Takano have revived the Thirty-Two Hour Workweek Act, a bill that would gradually reduce the federal overtime threshold from 40 to 32 hours for non-exempt employees. The proposal seeks to ensure that productivity gains from artificial intelligence benefit workers' lives, not just corporate earnings.
Bill aims to trim the workweek
The legislation, first introduced by Takano in 2021, would not instantly grant a three-day weekend. Instead, six months after becoming law it would begin lowering the overtime trigger, reaching a 32-hour workweek after four years. Employers could still schedule longer weeks, but they would be required to pay overtime for any hours beyond the new threshold and could not reduce workers' weekly pay or benefits.
The bill also proposes daily overtime after eight hours and double pay after twelve hours, a shift from the current federal rule that only mandates time-and-a-half after more than 40 hours in a week.
AI as catalyst for change
Sanders, a long-time advocate for responsible AI development, argues that the technology should ease the burden on workers. "At a time when artificial intelligence and robotics will radically transform our economy, it is imperative that the financial gains from this new technology benefit working families, not just a handful of billionaires and corporate CEOs," he said.
"At a time when artificial intelligence and robotics will radically transform our economy, it is imperative that the financial gains from this new technology benefit working families, not just a handful of billionaires and corporate CEOs,"
Takano echoed the sentiment, noting that labor law has not kept pace with nearly nine decades of technological change. "Since then, cell phones, the internet, and now AI have increased worker productivity," he said. "Work has fundamentally changed. It's time that labor standards caught up."
"Since then, cell phones, the internet, and now AI have increased worker productivity. Work has fundamentally changed. It's time that labor standards caught up,"
A 2026 analysis by Boston College sociologist Juliet Schor estimated that AI-driven productivity could enable 35 million U.S. workers, about 28 percent of the workforce, to move to a 32-hour week within a decade.
Historical context of shorter hours
The push for reduced hours harks back to labour leader Eugene V. Debs, who championed the eight-hour day in the late 19th century. The Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 later codified a 40-hour week after earlier reductions by companies such as Ford Motor Company in 1926.
Since 1979, net productivity in the United States has risen roughly 90 percent while hourly pay has increased about 33 percent, according to Economic Policy Institute data. This gap fuels arguments that the 40-hour standard no longer reflects modern economic realities.
Evidence from a six-country study involving 2,900 workers across 141 companies showed that cutting weekly hours by about five led to lower burnout and better physical and mental health after six months.
Debate and next steps
During a 2024 Senate hearing on the earlier version of the bill, Senator Bill Cassidy warned that higher labour costs could raise prices and strain thin-margin businesses. Cassidy chairs the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, which will review the Senate version of the proposal.
Sanders maintains that a 32-hour week is not radical but a necessary response to rising stress levels. "A 32-hour workweek is not a radical idea. It's time to reduce the stress level in our country," he said.
The legislation now faces scrutiny in both chambers of Congress. If passed, it would set a federal precedent for shorter workweeks, potentially influencing similar moves in Europe and beyond.