S. 3947 – Thirty-Two Hour Workweek Act

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Updated January 20, 2026 at 3:18 PM UTC

The Thirty‑Two Hour Workweek Act would amend the Fair Labor Standards Act to lower the standard workweek from 40 hours to 32 hours. It changes overtime rules so that employees must be paid time‑and‑a‑half for any hours worked beyond 32 in a week, and adds similar premium rates for workdays over eight hours. The law phases in the shorter week over three years and protects workers’ existing pay and benefits. It applies to most private‑sector employees covered by the FLSA.

Key Provisions

Overtime pay is required for any workweek longer than 32 hours, at a rate of at least 1.5 times the regular pay; workday overtime rules (over 8 hours up to 12 hours at 1.5×, over 12 hours at 2×) are also added.
The reduced workweek is phased in: during the first year after enactment, the limit is 38 hours; the second year 36 hours; the third year 34 hours; after that the limit becomes 32 hours.
Employers may not lower an employee’s total compensation rate or other benefits simply because the employee is now covered by the new overtime provisions.
The bill updates the language in the Fair Labor Standards Act to replace references to a 40‑hour workweek with the new 32‑hour standard and adjusts related sections accordingly.

Legislative Activity

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2 earlier actions

SenateCommittee Latest Action

Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Hearings held.

Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee

March 14, 2024

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SenateIntro Referral

Introduced in Senate

March 14, 2024

SenateIntro Referral

Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.

Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee

March 14, 2024

SenateCommittee

Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Hearings held.

Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee

March 14, 2024

Bill Text

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Introduced in SenateIssued March 14, 2024

II

118th CONGRESS

2d Session

S. 3947

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES

March 14, 2024

Mr. Sanders (for himself and Ms. Butler) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions

A BILL

To amend the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 to reduce the standard workweek from 40 hours per week to 32 hours per week, and for other purposes.

1.

Short title

This Act may be cited as the Thirty-Two Hour Workweek Act.

2.

Fair Labor Standards Act

The Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 (29 U.S.C. 201 et seq.) is amended—

(1)

in section 7 (29 U.S.C. 207)—

(A)

in subsection (a)—

(i)

in paragraph (1)—

(I)

by striking commerce, for a workweek longer than forty hours and all that follows through the period and inserting commerce—; and

(II)

by adding at the end the following:

(A)

for a workweek longer than thirty-two hours unless such employee receives compensation for his employment in excess of such hours at a rate not less than one and one-half times the regular rate at which he is employed; or

(B)

for a workday—

(i)

longer than eight hours, but not longer than 12 hours, unless such employee receives compensation for his employment in excess of eight hours at a rate not less than one and one-half times the regular rate at which he is employed; or

(ii)

longer than twelve hours unless such employee receives compensation for his employment in excess of such hours at a rate not less than double the regular rate at which he is employed.

;

(ii)

in paragraph (2)—

(I)

in the matter that precedes subparagraph (A), by striking Fair Labor Standards Amendments of 1966 and inserting Thirty-Two Hour Workweek Act; and

(II)

by striking subparagraphs (A) through (C) and inserting the following:

(A)

for a workweek longer than thirty-eight hours during the 1-year period beginning not less than 180 days after the date of the enactment of the Thirty-Two Hour Workweek Act,

(B)

for a workweek longer than thirty-six hours during the second year after the first day of such period,

(C)

for a workweek longer than thirty-four hours during the third year after the first day of such period, or

(D)

for a workweek longer than thirty-two hours after the expiration of the third year after the first day of such period,

; and

(iii)

by adding at the end the following:

(3)

With respect to any employee described in paragraph (2) who in any workweek is brought within the purview of this subsection by the amendments made to this Act by the Thirty-Two Hour Workweek Act, the employer of such employee may not reduce the total workweek compensation rate, including the regular rate at which the employee is employed, or any other employee benefit due to the employee being brought within the purview of this subsection by such amendments.

; and

(B)

in subsection (l)—

(i)

by striking No and inserting Except as provided in subsection (a)(2), no; and

(ii)

by striking forty and inserting thirty-two; and

(2)

in section 18(a) (29 U.S.C. 218(a)) by inserting or workday after workweek in each place it occurs.