New Bedford Guide Your Guide to New Bedford and South Coast, MA
In a newly proposed program called the “Massachusetts Smart Work Week Pilot”, Massachusetts workers will switch over to 4-day work weeks with no decrease in pay. Companies that reduce work hours for at least 15 employees, without giving them a pay cut will receive a tax credit.
This aims to not only reduce employee “burnout” but make Massachusetts a more desirable location for talented individuals seeking a job.
The beginning of the proposed bill (Bill H.3849) reads,
“Notwithstanding any general or special law to the contrary, the executive office of labor and workforce development shall establish a pilot program to promote, incentivize and support the use of a four-day work week by qualifying employers and to study the benefits and impacts of such work arrangements on participating employees and employers. This program shall be known as the Massachusetts Smart Work Week Pilot.
(b) For the purposes of this act, the following terms shall have the following meanings, unless the context clearly requires otherwise:-
“Four-day work week”, employees receive a meaningful reduction in actual work hours without any reduction in overall pay.
“Pilot”, the Massachusetts Smart Work Week Pilot Program, as established in this act.
“Qualifying employer”, an employer operating in the commonwealth that enters an agreement to participate in the Massachusetts Smart Work Week Pilot Program subject to this act.”
So the question is, if your job switches over to a 4-day work week, do you think you will be less stressed and more productive? This seems like it could be a win-win for companies and employees. If you would like to read the bill yourself, CLICK HERE.
