Bernie Sanders' 32-Hour Workweek Proposal: What You Need to Know About the New Congressional Bill

Sen. Bernie Sanders and Rep. Mark Takano are backing the reintroduction of the Thirty-Two Hour Workweek Act in Congress. Takano introduced the House version, H.R. 10323, on 8 September 2026.

The proposal would gradually lower the federal overtime threshold from 40 hours to 32 hours for covered, non-exempt workers.

What the 32-Hour Workweek Bill Would Change

H.R. 10323 would amend the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938. It was referred to the House Committee on Education and the Workforce after its introduction. Congressional records identify Takano as the bill's sponsor.

The proposal would not reduce the overtime threshold to 32 hours immediately. Instead, the change would begin no earlier than 180 days after enactment.

During the first year, overtime would apply after 38 hours in a workweek. The threshold would fall to 36 hours during the second year and 34 hours during the third year. After that phase-in, covered employees would generally qualify for overtime after 32 hours.

The bill also proposes daily overtime rules. Covered workers would receive at least one-and-a-half times their regular rate for hours worked beyond eight in a day, up to 12 hours. Hours worked beyond 12 in a day would require at least double the regular rate under the proposed legislation.

That would be a new requirement under the bill, rather than a description of current federal law.

The phrase '32-hour workweek' may sound like a guaranteed four-day schedule. H.R. 10323 would not require employers to stop scheduling covered employees after 32 hours. Instead, hours above the applicable weekly threshold would generally require overtime pay, while hours beyond eight in a workday could also trigger proposed daily overtime requirements.

Under current federal rules, covered, non-exempt employees generally must receive overtime pay at no less than one-and-a-half times their regular rate for hours worked beyond 40 in a workweek.

The requirement comes from the US Department of Labor's interpretation of the Fair Labor Standards Act. The department defines a workweek as a fixed period of 168 hours, or seven consecutive 24-hour periods.

After full implementation, a covered, non-exempt employee who works 40 hours in a workweek would generally be entitled to overtime pay for eight of those hours.

For context, this is not Sanders' first effort to advance a shorter workweek. Takano first introduced the Thirty-Two Hour Workweek Act in 2021. A subsequent version, H.R. 1332, was introduced in 2023 before the current House bill was filed.

Why Sanders and Takano Are Supporting It

Sanders and Takano have presented the proposal as a response to rising productivity, changing technology and concerns about how workers will benefit from artificial intelligence and robotics.

Takano's September announcement said labour law should reflect the modern nature of work. The statement also argued that productivity gains should lead to greater benefits for working families, rather than being concentrated among corporate executives and wealthy investors.

The 2026 announcement did not establish the 93.2% productivity figure and 33.7% wage figure cited in some earlier descriptions of the proposal. Those numbers should not be treated as part of Takano's latest official statement without the underlying source.

Sanders made the technology argument directly.

'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,' Sanders said. 'One important way to do that is through a 32-hour workweek with no loss in pay or benefits.'

That language reflects the political case for the measure. It should not be read as a guarantee that every worker would receive the same weekly salary after moving to 32 hours.

The statutory wording is narrower. It would prohibit an employer from reducing an employee's total workweek compensation rate, regular rate or other employee benefit because the employee became subject to the amended overtime rules.

The legislation has been endorsed by labour organisations including the AFL-CIO, United Auto Workers, National Nurses United and the Service Employees International Union, according to Takano's office. Other listed endorsers include the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA, the National Employment Law Project and United Food and Commercial Workers.

H.R. 10323 remains an introduced bill. It has been referred to committee but has not become law. Its prospects cannot be determined from the filing alone.

If enacted, the proposal would represent a substantial change without automatically abolishing the five-day workweek. Employers could continue scheduling longer hours, subject to the bill's weekly and daily overtime requirements.

Whether businesses absorb the additional labour costs, hire more staff or reduce scheduled hours would depend on how employers respond if Congress advances the measure.