Thirty-Two Hour Workweek Act

Full Title:
Thirty-Two Hour Workweek Act

Summary#

This bill amends the Fair Labor Standards Act to make the standard workweek 32 hours instead of 40. It sets overtime pay and daily overtime rules: employees must be paid at least 1.5 times their regular rate for hours worked over 32 in a week. For a workday, hours over 8 and up to 12 must be paid at 1.5 times the regular rate, and hours over 12 must be paid at double the regular rate. The bill phases in the shorter workweek over three years after a start date that begins not less than 180 days after enactment: during year 1 the overtime threshold is 38 hours, year 2 is 36 hours, year 3 is 34 hours, and after that the threshold is 32 hours. The bill also says employers may not reduce an employee's total weekly pay rate or other benefits because the employee becomes covered by the new overtime rules. It updates related statutory language to refer to a 32-hour workweek and adds the phrase "or workday" in one enforcement section.

What it means for you#

  • If you are a worker covered by the Fair Labor Standards Act, hours over 32 in a week would generally be paid at 1.5 times your regular rate after the phase-in ends. During the phase-in, the overtime weekly threshold would be 38, then 36, then 34 hours before reaching 32 hours.
  • If you work more than 8 hours in a day, the bill requires overtime pay for the extra daily hours (1.5x for over 8 up to 12 hours; double pay for hours over 12).
  • Employers are prohibited by the bill from cutting an employee's total weekly pay rate or benefits because the employee is newly covered by the overtime rules.

Expenses#

No publicly available information on estimated federal or employer costs is included in the bill text. The bill does specify changed overtime thresholds and pay multipliers, but it does not include a cost estimate.

Proponents' View#

No publicly available information in the bill text about supporters' statements or arguments.

Opponents' View#

No publicly available information in the bill text about opponents' statements or arguments.