TGIT? California Lawmakers Want To Shorten Workweek To 4 Days

NATOMAS (CBS13) – What could be better than saying TGIF? Starting your weekend a day earlier.

Toiling 40 hours a week may be a thing of the past.

"Instead of working more, work less but work more efficiently," said Hakan Ozcelik, a business professor at Sacramento State.

Some California lawmakers want to redefine what's considered full-time.

AB 2932 would only apply to companies with at least 500 employees. It calls for a four-day workweek and you'd get overtime after 32 hours.

"That's not a problem for me. I telework from home," said Alma Salaver.

"Who would be against having a three-day weekend all the time?" said Kevin Guzman.

The California Chamber of Commerce fiercely opposes it. Their bottom line: it would hurt businesses.

"They would either have to pay a significantly inflated amount or they would have to try and find workers if they need to continue to run operations," said Ashley Hoffman, a policy advocate for the California Chamber of Commerce.

But this amended schedule won't work for every sector, especially jobs requiring a physical presence, Ozcelik said.

The idea also leads to questions about productivity

"You have to account there's going to be one or two people who try to take advantage," Francisco Chima Sanchez said. "But, by and large, everyone wants to be productive."

Research may surprise you. In Japan, a country defined by high work standards, Microsoft experimented with a four-day plan in 2019. In the end, it claims productivity rose 40%.

"If you can make it work, why not?" Guzman said.