posted in Technology
Bernie Sanders says if AI is coming for workers, it should bring a four-day workweek with it
fortune.com/2026/09/15/bernie-sanders-ai-four-day-workweek-bill/posted in Technology
Bernie Sanders says if AI is coming for workers, it should bring a four-day workweek with it
fortune.com/2026/09/15/bernie-sanders-ai-four-day-workweek-bill/Replying to @Mustachius_Grumpius@thelemmy.club
I used to travel regularly to Germany, spains and France, for instance work on production sites and equipment there. The standard legal working week currently in France is 35 hours. Currently data shows on average US workers work 34 hours a week. To be honest, it’s not that far off from the 32 hours Sanders is suggesting in his legislation he is coauthoring
Replying to @seasidechapel@lemmy.zip
You’re missing an important distinction, though: in the US, health benefits are tied to full-time employment, and most places consider anything under 35 to be part-time. I’ve had several jobs that would force me to clock off if I was at risk of hitting that full-time threshold. I had times where I was struggling to make ends meet, but they wouldn’t let me work more. And, at least in my state, if you take on a second job, wages from the second job are taxed at a higher rate.
So 34 American hours and the benefits associated are very different from 35 French hours. Codifying the threshold for full-time employment at 32 hours instead will only benefit white collar workers. Everyone else will just get their hours cut even further and be driven further into poverty.
Basically, we really, really need to fix American healthcare before anything else, because until we’re on a single-payer system, most changes to labor law will fuck the most at-risk populations.
Replying to @tmyakal@infosec.pub
And, at least in my state, if you take on a second job, wages from the second job are taxed at a higher rate.
that doesn’t sound right…
the suggested withholding on second (or third) jobs is higher to make up for the fact that your first job’s withholding is usually based on it being your only income source. in the end, you’re taxed on your combined income, one job or three, it doesn’t matter.
Replying to @tmyakal@infosec.pub
Very good points. Yes indeed that is a very important distinction. I agree 100% that the US healthcare system and its current for profit system needs to be fixed!