Want to work only 32 hours a week? There’s a push to make it a reality in Washington

A Washington lawmaker introduced a bill that would cap the work week at 32 hours.

State Sen. Joe Nguyen from White Center introduced the Senate bill on Jan. 20, which proposes only working four days a week, according to King 5.

“I think younger folks that are kind of in my age demographic tend to believe in more flexibility in the work schedule,” Nguyen, 36, told King 5.

“This is a good thing to help workers either reduce mental anguish, stress or give them opportunities to be more free with their time as well and still be just as productive if not more productive,” he said.

Under the bill, employees would be entitled to “compensation for his or her employment in excess of the hours above specified at a rate not less than one and one-half times the regular rate at which he or she is employed,” according to the bill.

The legislation would have exemptions for truck or bus drivers, farm workers, motion picture projectionists and more, according to the bill.

Microsoft Japan tested the four-day work week by giving its 2,300 employees five Fridays off without decreasing pay, The Guardian reported. Not only were workers “happier,” but productivity jumped by 40%.

A New Zealand company also tested it out in 2018, allowing its 240 employees to work four days but paying them for five. Seventy-eight percent of employees reported having more work-life balance and stress levels decreased by 7%.

Although Nguyen knows that the bill might not pass, he wanted to propose it to raise public awareness and “hear from small businesses or workers who would be impacted,” according to King 5.

This story was originally published January 22, 2020 at 1:35 PM.