Latest news with #SmartWorkWeekPilotProgram
Time of India
24-06-2025
- Business
- Time of India
New York considering four-day workweek in public and private sectors? Check details
Is New York planning to test four-day workweek in both public and private sectors? A new proposal in the New York legislature aims to put the concept of a four-day workweek to test in both the sectors, reports NewsWeek. In February, Assembly member Phara Souffrant Forrest , who represents the 57th Assembly District in Brooklyn, introduced two pilot programs aimed at reducing the five-day workweek to four. While one pilot program would establish a four-day workweek for state employees, and the other will offer tax incentives to private employers to run the pilot, according to Fox News. Both the bills are currently In Committee, a stage in the legislative process where bills are under consideration. ALSO READ: 'Don't talk to me, insult me publicly': Pam Bondi grilled, left scrambling over sketchy Qatar past Will New York adopt four-day workweek? Both the bills aim to establish a "pilot program" for the four-day work week, during which employees will receive a reduction in the overall hours worked "without any reduction in overall pay." "As a working mom, a nurse, and someone who's juggled multiple jobs just to get by, I know firsthand how exhausting and unsustainable the five-day grind can be," Forrest told Newsweek. She said that the plan "came out of that lived experience and out of conversations I've had with so many New Yorkers who are overworked, underpaid, and barely have time for their families or themselves." Live Events Bill A5423 would amend New York state's civil service law, requiring the state department of civil service to identify state agencies where a four-day workweek is "feasible and beneficial for at least 60 percent of state employees." ALSO READ: 'God help us all': Trump's appointment of 22-year-old college grad to terrorism unit amid Iran crisis faces backlash The bill also ensures that employees selected for the pilot program would not experience cuts in pay and benefits or have their hours cut to less than 36 hours per week. Bill A5454 would amend the state's labor law by creating the New York Smart Work Week Pilot Program . The program would offer tax credits of up to $250,000 per employer or $5,000 per participating employee as an incentive to private employers. The assemblymember said she drew on numerous case studies and similar pilot programs in the United States and abroad in drafting the proposal. The proposals are currently being reviewed in committee, where public hearings will be held prior to any amendments or votes. Forrest told Newsweek that the response from fellow legislators "so far has been encouraging," which to her signals a "growing interest in rethinking the structure of work, especially after the pandemic shifted how we all view time, labor, and quality of life." ALSO READ: 'If you can rent Venice...': Jeff Bezos-Lauren Sanchez's lavish wedding sparks major uproar Is it mandatory? Unlike mandates, the scheme is voluntary and this feature may protect it from early resistance. By limiting participation to willing employers, the trial seeks to gather meaningful data without disrupting wider business operations. Economic Times WhatsApp channel )
Yahoo
19-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
New York considering four-day workweek pilot programs
The Brief Two bills introducing four-day workweek pilot programs in New York are In Committee. The bills were introduced by Assemblymember Phara Souffrant Forrest. If passed, New York would be one step closer to a 32-hour workweek. NEW YORK - New York is considering two pilot programs to test a four-day, 32-hour workweek. What we know Assemblymember Phara Souffrant Forrest, representing the 57th Assembly District in Brooklyn, has introduced two pilot programs aimed at reducing the five-day workweek to four. One pilot program would establish a four-day workweek for state employees, and the other will offer tax incentives to private employers to run the pilot. Both bills – Assembly Bill A5423 and Assembly Bill A5454, respectively – were introduced in February of this year; they are currently In Committee, a stage in the legislative process where bills are under consideration. Bill A5423 would amend New York state's civil service law, requiring the state department of civil service to identify state agencies where a four-day workweek is "feasible and beneficial for at least 60 percent of state employees." The bill also ensures that employees selected for the pilot program would not experience cuts in pay and benefits or have their hours cut to less than 36 hours per week. Bill A5454 would amend the state's labor law by creating the New York Smart Work Week Pilot Program. The program would offer tax credits of up to $250,000 per employer or $5,000 per participating employee as an incentive to private employers. Data gathered by qualifying employers through surveys, interviews or other means would be used to study and evaluate the impact of workers transitioning to a four-day workweek. The Source This article includes reporting from two bills currently in New York State Assembly Committee.
