Is a 32-hour work week in WA’s future? Lawmakers say it would boost productivity

Should Washington shave eight hours off the standard 40-hour work week? Some state lawmakers think so.

Under House Bill 2611 by state Rep. Shaun Scott, a Seattle Democrat, employers would have to shell out overtime to workers who log more than 32 hours in a week, instead of the current 40-hour threshold. They’d also have to offer an hour of paid sick leave for every 32 hours worked – up from the current rate of one hour of paid sick leave for every 40 hours worked.

The proposal received a hearing in the House Labor & Workplace Standards Committee on Jan. 27, but it isn’t expected to go very far this session, as reported by the Washington Observer. Wednesday is a major deadline for legislation without big budgetary significance to be voted out of policy committees.

Union workers support Scott’s measure, arguing it would lead to a far better work-life balance. Business and industry groups, meanwhile, have warned that it would backfire on workers and harm the state’s economy.

Scott noted that Americans work many hours more than their Western peers, including 279 more hours yearly than employees in the United Kingdom. That, however, hasn’t always translated to better productivity levels, he said.

One Washington jurisdiction, San Juan County, recently adopted a 32-hour work week for most government employees after a two-year trial run. Scott said that the county has since seen a 216% rise in job applicants and an 18% drop in sick calls, with KING 5 reporting $2 million in taxpayer savings over a two-year span. In addition, 83% of county workers reported a better work-life balance.

“House Bill 2611 is legislation for a happier, more productive workforce,” Scott said at the hearing.

Democratic state Reps. Lisa Parshley of Olympia, Tarra Simmons of Bremerton, Natasha Hill of Spokane, and Mary Fosse and Julio Cortes of Everett signed on as co-sponsors.

The legislation, which Scott said he brought forward at the behest of trade unionists – namely in the Society of Professional Engineering Employees in Aerospace – would take effect Jan. 1, 2028.

SPEEA member Michael Berryhill told lawmakers that a shorter work week would let employees spend more time with loved ones and cut back on their stress.

Others in the “pro” camp include the Washington Federation of State Employees.

Republican state Rep. Alex Ybarra of Quincy, the committee’s assistant ranking member, asked during the hearing whether the bill would prompt hourly employees used to earning $20 an hour for 40 hours to take home less pay.

WFSE Vice President Ashley Fueston replied that there are other factors beyond pay at play, such as one less day of child care and having more time to volunteer. Many $20-an-hour jobs aren’t full-time anyway because employers don’t want to cover health care, she said.

“So this isn’t going to affect negatively, necessarily,” Fueston told Ybarra. “And I see where your concerns lie, but this is just going to bolster our workers.”

Critics contended that the bill wouldn’t work for employers in the contracting or agriculture sectors and that project timelines and weather can’t be legislated away.

Andrea Reay with the Washington Hospitality Association argued that some employers may avert paying overtime by capping hours, ultimately hurting employees who rely on working 40 hours to make ends meet. Many small businesses run on small margins, she added, and this bill would serve as a “significant labor cost increase.”

Small business owner Shannon Oakley said at the hearing that she employs 75 full-time workers. If successful, the proposal would leave many of them needing to take on a second job, she said, likely leading them to work more than 40 hours to support their families.

“If employers are forced to reduce hours and restructure schedules, working families will feel the ripple effect through reduced availability, inconsistent staffing and fewer service options,” Oakley said.

As of Monday afternoon, HB 2611 has not been scheduled for a committee vote, according to the state Legislature’s website.