Massachusetts Lawmakers File Bill to Create 4-Day Workweek Pilot
upstart writes:
Following a similar program in Europe, two Massachusetts lawmakers have filed a bill this week to create a two-year pilot program for a four-day workweek.
[...] The pilot program would run for two years and would be overseen by the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development. To participate, employers must agree to transition at least 15 workers to a shortened workweek.
While the bill was just filed this week, a number of businesses have already reached out to ask how they can participate, according to Cutler.
"I think this is really the perfect time for this kind of pilot program, given the changes we've seen in hybrid work as a result of the pandemic and the need to look for creative solutions to our current labor market challenges," Cutler said in an email response to Computerworld.
If the legislation passes, employers who participate in the pilot would agree to reduce the hours of all or some of their employees without reducing overall pay, status, or benefits. Businesses will also be eligible for a tax credit for their participation in the study and necessary data collection, Cutler said.
While the pilot program is designed to run for two years, individual businesses are not required to participate the entire time. The proposal is aimed at discovering the feasibility and benefits of a four-day work week.
"We chose this amount of time because we wanted to ensure a robust response and data availability. I have seen a variety of different lengths. In Maryland, there is a bill proposing a five-year pilot, for example. In this case, we felt two years struck a good balance," Cutler said. (The Maryland proposal was withdrawn earlier this year.)
The Massachusetts legislation doesn't call for participating organizations to adopt a strict 32-hour work week; instead, it states employees must receive "a meaningful reduction in actual work hours."
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