Can California blaze a new trail with their 4-day workweek bill? The largest state in the U.S. is considering a bill that would reduce the workweek to just four days for companies with more than 500 employees. It might be a longshot…But calls for the four-day work week have only grown stronger in recent weeks.
What else matters this week?
The Secretary General of OPEC told the EU that the oil markets crisis in beyond their control.
Why remote work will fully embody the metaverse.
Japanese automaker Honda plans to invest 5 trillion yen, or $40 billion USD, into electric vehicle development.
Women’s pay is growing faster than men’s pay.
Amazon’s plan to fix their massive returns problem.
We’ve got a full breakdown of all the top headlines you can’t miss this week.
#1. California’s 4-day workweek trial could set a new standard
The California legislature is considering a bill that would reduce the workweek to four days for companies with more than 500 employees. Though the bill is considered a longshot, the calls to shorten the workweek have continued to grow louder and more persistent.
Proponents of the bill say the shorter workweek will boost productivity, improve work-life balance, and help mental and physical health. But detractors say the 4-day workweek would be a financial disaster and companies would have to pay more for overtime. It’s important to note that with this bill, companies could make workers report to work five days a week, but they would have to pay them for the extra day.
A number of companies in the private sector are already testing the 4-day work week, from Shake Shack to Shopify. Read more at Axios.