Independent Senator Pushes for a 32-Hour Workweek, Arguing Americans Deserve a Better Quality of Life

Bernie Sanders, the independent senator from Vermont and two-time Democratic presidential candidate, has formally introduced legislation that would shift the United States to a four-day workweek. The proposal calls for a 32-hour workweek with no reduction in pay, a change Sanders says is long overdue.

Advocates of the idea point to numerous studies and pilot programs around the world that show shorter workweeks can significantly boost productivity, employee satisfaction, and overall wellbeing. Companies participating in these trials have often reported lower burnout rates, improved retention, and even higher revenue. Despite this growing body of evidence, Sanders’ proposal faces steep political hurdles: Republicans currently control the House, and although Democrats hold a 51–49 edge in the Senate, the bill’s chances of passage remain slim.

“Moving to a 32-hour workweek with no loss of pay is not a radical idea,” Sanders said on Thursday. “Today, American workers are more than 400% more productive than they were in the 1940s. And yet, millions of people are working longer hours for wages that have stagnated or even declined when adjusted for inflation.”

Sanders argued that technological advances — including artificial intelligence, automation, and rapid gains in productivity — should benefit ordinary Americans rather than becoming tools that enrich only CEOs and major shareholders. “That has got to change,” he said. “The financial gains from these major advancements must benefit the working class, not just corporate chief executives and wealthy stockholders on Wall Street.”

He emphasized that a shorter workweek is not just an economic adjustment but a cultural shift: “It is time to reduce the stress level in our country and allow Americans to enjoy a better quality of life. It is time for a 32-hour workweek with no loss in pay.”

The bill has received support from Democratic lawmakers including Laphonza Butler, a senator from California, and Mark Takano, a California Democrat in the House who has previously championed similar legislation. Butler said the proposal “would allow hard-working Americans to spend more time with their families while protecting their wages and making sure profits aren’t only going to a select few.”

Takano echoed her remarks, describing the measure as “transformative legislation that will be a win for both workers and workplaces,” noting that businesses could benefit from happier employees and lower turnover.

Sanders’ office highlighted endorsements from labor unions and advocacy groups, and pointed to predictions from business leaders such as Microsoft founder Bill Gates and JP Morgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon, both of whom have suggested that the long-term trend in advanced economies points toward shorter workweeks.

Dr. Dale Whelehan, CEO of 4 Day Week Global, said the bill reflects an accelerating shift in global work culture. “Increasing evidence firmly supports that reducing working hours yields beneficial outcomes for businesses, individuals, and the broader community,” he said. “We are thrilled to support this endeavor, which marks further progress toward a future of work that prioritizes sustainable human performance and wellbeing.”

On Thursday, Sanders also held a hearing of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee, which he chairs. Addressing the broader issue of workplace stress, he said: “One of the issues we have to talk about is stress in this country — the fact that so many people are going to work exhausted physically and mentally. And the fact that we have not changed the Fair Labor Standards Act since 1940. We came up with the 40-hour workweek in 1940. Who is going to deny that the economy has fundamentally and radically changed over that period of time?”

However, Republicans on the committee voiced strong opposition. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, the ranking Republican member, said that while a 32-hour workweek might work for some individual businesses, it should not be mandated nationwide. “We won’t maintain the status of being the world’s wealthiest nation if we kneecap the American economy with something that purports to be good for the American worker but will lead to the offshoring of jobs in search of a lower-cost labor force,” Cassidy said. He warned that companies could respond by shifting production overseas or automating even faster.

Shawn Fain, president of the United Auto Workers union — fresh off negotiating landmark contracts in the auto industry — pushed back fiercely. “The truth is, working-class people aren’t lazy. They’re fed up,” he said. “They’re fed up with being left behind and stripped of dignity as wealth inequality spirals out of control. In America, three families have as much wealth as the bottom 50% of citizens in this nation. That is criminal.”

Fain argued that a shorter workweek would help restore balance to American life, allowing workers more time for family, rest, and community — areas he says have been steadily eroded by decades of rising corporate power and stagnant wages.

As debate continues, Sanders and his allies hope the bill will at least spark a national conversation about how Americans work — and whether technological progress should free people’s time instead of demanding ever-increasing output. Whether or not the legislation moves forward, supporters believe the push for a shorter workweek reflects a growing recognition that economic systems must adapt to modern realities rather than remain anchored to standards set nearly a century ago.