A group of left-wing congressional staffers are calling for lawmakers to implement a 32-hour work week when Congress is out of session. The staffers claim this policy would prevent burnout and “improve worker satisfaction.”
The letter, from the Congressional Progressive Staff Association (CPSA) and sent to House and Senate leaders, urges Congress to adopt a “proposal that would improve worker satisfaction, increase staff retention in Congress, and model a more sustainable approach to work on a national level.”
“By adopting a 32-hour workweek for staff on a rotating basis, you can accomplish these goals while retaining the productivity and quality of work you expect and deserve from your team,” the letter says. “We urge you to consider piloting the program in your own offices and encouraging your fellow Members across your conference or caucus to do the same.”
“Staff members who find their pace of work unsustainable must go through the stress and uncertainty of applying, interviewing, and onboarding for a new position. With an abbreviated workweek, Congress could make longer tenures for staff the norm, thereby making the work on the Hill more effective and efficient,” the letter adds.
The staffers go on to propose “implementing a 32-hour workweek for D.C.-based staff during district work periods and a 32-hour workweek for district-based staff while in-session.” They believe that implementing this workweek “without a reduction in pay” would “allow both D.C. and distinct staff to be fully available around the clock throughout more intensive periods when the Member is in town while allowing for a more sustainable schedule when workloads are more manageable.”
The group hopes their proposal “can help to advance the discussion around a more sustainable workweek as a national priority and model how it can work for private and public employers across the country and the world.”
