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BOSTON (WBZ NewsRadio) — Two Massachusetts State Representatives are looking to bring a shorter work-week to Massachusetts, starting with a handful of businesses.
Reps. Dylan Fernandes and Josh Cutler filed a bill on Monday that would create a pilot program for a four-day week, officially called the "Massachusetts Smart Work Week Pilot." The point of the program would be to have employees work four days a week while still paying them their five-day wages or salary.
Any business in the state with 15 employees or more would be eligible to enter a pool. The state's Office of Labor and Workforce Development would then hand-pick the final participants. The pilot program would last two years. Companies would need to report how the program went for them.
In return for participating in the program, the companies will get a tax credit from the state. The exact details of the credit would need to be sketched out, but could include a specific dollar amount for every employee on the pilot program or one chunk of money for the entire company.
The idea of a four-day work week has gained traction in Europe, with some companies opting to permanently stick with it after a similar pilot program in the UK.
WBZ's Jim Mackay (@JimMacKayOnAir) has more:
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