S.20.3-13: Fair Workweek Act (Law'd)

[thumb21]

I'm not entirely sure where we stand on this. If there's support for a version of this with a supplemental income program, I'm willing to work on that - otherwise a better use of our time would be to explore some other options. I quite like Tmth's paid lunches idea.

I will just say on the issue of income that the analyses I'm seeing point to a reduction of the monthly wage by up to 2% in the short term and 1% in the long term for affected workers, when you consider factors like increased productivity, negotations with workers plus union pressure, overtime ect., so I do think some sort of supplemental income program is realistic.

[KoopaDaQuick 🇵🇸]

AN ACT
to give families more time to spend with their children and increase productivity

Section 1 (Title & definitions)
i. The title of this act shall be, the “Fair Workweek Act."


Section 2 (Workweek reduction)
i. The workweek shall be reduced from 40 hours to 35 hours.
ii. Unless exempt, employees covered by the Act must receive overtime pay for hours worked over 35 in a workweek at a rate not less than time and one-half their regular rates of pay.

Section 3 (Gov't employee five-day workweek flexibility)
i. All government employees of the Southern Region who work five (5) days in a week shall have the option to choose between three (3) plans determining which days of the week they work.
   a. The first plan shall be called Workweek A. Workers who choose this plan must go to work on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays.
   b. The second plan shall be called Workweek B. Workers who choose this plan must go to work on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays.
   c. The second plan shall be called Workweek C. Workers who choose this plan must go to work on Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays.
ii. If a regional government employee who works five (5) days in a week requests a different combination of days, whether it be for religious or personal reasons, the government of the Southern Region may permit the employee in question to work on a plan that best fits.

Section 34 (Implementation)
i. This legislation shall come into effect on January 1, 2023.

Since we're talking about the workweek, here's an amendment that I think would be nice. Please feel free to amend or trash this amendment if you so choose.

[President Punxsutawney Phil]

Good amendment.

[Holy Unifying Centrist]

I would like at least 72 hours of debate on this amendment. Not sure how practical it is. It sounds nice, but it may not be practical for a lot of government jobs to be open on Saturday or Sunday. Flexibility is good but only to a certain extent.

[KoopaDaQuick 🇵🇸]

I would like 72 hours of debate on this amendment. Not sure how practical it is. It sounds nice, but it may not be practical for a lot of government jobs to be open on Saturday or Sunday. Flexibility is good but only to a certain extent.

This is a good point. The reasoning behind this is so that not only can government employees still observe their sabbath day while still being able to use this amended workweek, but also because if we hire more employees using these schedules, the offset can mean that government services can be provided 7 days a week to all Southerners.

However, I can 100% understand why you believe this might not be practical. We could maybe pick and choose which gov't employees get the option and which don't, or also maybe just scrap the whole idea all together. So yeah, this 72 hour debate window is a good idea.

[tmthforu94]

I would like at least 72 hours of debate on this amendment. Not sure how practical it is. It sounds nice, but it may not be practical for a lot of government jobs to be open on Saturday or Sunday. Flexibility is good but only to a certain extent.

I agree, this is too big of an amendment to start an immediate vote on with an objection.

Motion to extend the rules for 72 hour objection/debate period on Koopa's amendment, 24 hours for objection. I encourage debate to resume as I am hopeful and confident no one objects to this, as the sponsor requested it.

[thumb21]

I like the idea a lot and I've also watched this video before

I'm also not entirely sure how this amendment would work for part time workers or people with flexible or unusual work schedules. I'm also not sure how 'government employee' would be defined here - does that include public school teachers, for example?

Personally I'd prefer more flexible wording something like 'government workplaces shall work towards x with consideration for the costs, productivity changes, employee opinion ect.' It would push government agencies to adopt better work schedules while also not imposing a few specific plans which could cause issues for certain workplaces or agencies.

[tmthforu94]

One initial concern I have is the added expense that would come from having government buildings open 7 days a week - almost all agencies just operate under the traditional calendar, with some open on Saturday's as well. I'd prefer wording that allows flexibility for agencies who deem it impractical to operate 7-days per week.

Something else I'd like to throw out as a bit of a compromise on what could get through final passage - I'd be open to the idea of having Section 2 apply specifically to government employees, then stating that hourly employee wages shall be adjusted to prevent a decrease of wages. I don't feel comfortable mandating such a requirement for private entities as I think it could cause great harm to many that are currently struggling to stay afloat in a pandemic, and even after, the strain especially on small businesses. However, having the government adopt this first and seeing it implemented successfully could place pressure and incentivize private businesses to adopt a similar plan in the future.

[GM Team Member and Senator WB]

Tmth makes a good point, we can certainly test this out on government entities and see if it works, though it is reasonable to believe it’d affect different businesses in different ways.

[KoopaDaQuick 🇵🇸]

All of you green avatars make very good points. In fact, we can maybe start it one gov't entity, and slowly branch out from there.

Addressing the gentleman from Wales, I think it would be a good idea to let some Southern agencies to have some exceptions to the rules, especially if they already run on a specific and strict schedule that would be hard to mess with, such as postal services. And by 'government employee', I generally meant people who work directly for the Southern government and its agencies, although I will let my fellow delegates define that term as loosely or as strictly as they wish.

[tmthforu94]

The objection period for Koopa's amendment will end tonight, if there are no objections it will be added to the bill.

[tmthforu94]

Koopa's amendment has been adopted.

I am now introducing an amendment that would implement the proposal I made several days ago to only have this apply to regional government employees. I was a bit stumped on wording for Section 2, Clause iii, so if anyone has a better version, I'm very open to suggestions on it:

AN ACT
to give families more time to spend with their children and increase productivity

Section 1 (Title & Definitions)
i. The title of this act shall be, the “Fair Workweek Act."


Section 2 (Workweek reduction)
i. The workweek for regional government employees shall be reduced from 40 hours to 35 hours.
ii. Unless exempt, employees covered by the Act must receive overtime pay for hours worked over 35 in a workweek at a rate not less than time and one-half their regular rates of pay.
iii. Non-exempt employees shall have their hourly wage adjusted to reflect the same gross pay amount as previously.

Section 3 (Gov't employee five-day workweek flexibility)
i. All government employees of the Southern Region who work five (5) days in a week shall have the option to choose between three (3) plans determining which days of the week they work.
   a. The first plan shall be called Workweek A. Workers who choose this plan must go to work on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays.
   b. The second plan shall be called Workweek B. Workers who choose this plan must go to work on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays.
   c. The second plan shall be called Workweek C. Workers who choose this plan must go to work on Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays.
ii. If a regional government employee who works five (5) days in a week requests a different combination of days, whether it be for religious or personal reasons, the government of the Southern Region may permit the employee in question to work on a plan that best fits.

Section 4 (Implementation)
i. This legislation shall come into effect on January 1, 2023.

24 hours for objections.

[tmthforu94]

The amendment is adopted, debate resumes.

[reagente]

I'm open to the idea of workweek flexibility - though I still don't like the idea of a shift to a 35 hour workweek for reasons previously stated. Proposing this amendment.

AN ACT
to give families more time to spend with their children and increase productivity

Section 1 (Title & Definitions)
i. The title of this act shall be, the “Fair Workweek Act."


Section 2 (Workweek reduction)
i. The workweek for regional government employees shall be reduced from 40 hours to 35 hours.
ii. Unless exempt, employees covered by the Act must receive overtime pay for hours worked over 35 in a workweek at a rate not less than time and one-half their regular rates of pay.
iii. Non-exempt employees shall have their hourly wage adjusted to reflect the same gross pay amount as previously.

Section 3 (Gov't employee five-day workweek flexibility)
i. All government employees of the Southern Region who work five (5) days in a week shall have the option to choose between three (3) plans determining which days of the week they work.
   a. The first plan shall be called Workweek A. Workers who choose this plan must go to work on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays.
   b. The second plan shall be called Workweek B. Workers who choose this plan must go to work on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays.
   c. The second plan shall be called Workweek C. Workers who choose this plan must go to work on Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays.
ii. If a regional government employee who works five (5) days in a week requests a different combination of days, whether it be for religious or personal reasons, the government of the Southern Region may permit the employee in question to work on a plan that best fits.

Section 4 (Implementation)
i. This legislation shall come into effect on January 1, 2023.

[tmthforu94]

24 hours for objections to Reagente's amendment.

[Holy Unifying Centrist]

I support reagente's amendment. I think a 35 work week could be a good idea, but I don't believe it should be mandated anymore. Even for regional government employees.

[tmthforu94]

The amendment has been adopted. Debate resumes.

Any further amendments/suggestions before proceeding to a final vote?

[Holy Unifying Centrist]

The amendment has been adopted. Debate resumes.

Any further amendments/suggestions before proceeding to a final vote?

I support proceeding to a final vote.

[tmthforu94]

The amendment has been adopted. Debate resumes.

Any further amendments/suggestions before proceeding to a final vote?

I support proceeding to a final vote.

Sounds good.

Officially motioning for a final vote, 24 hours for objections.

[tmthforu94]

A final vote has started on the below text, please vote AYE, NAY or ABSTAIN.

AN ACT
to give families more time to spend with their children and increase productivity

Section 1 (Title & Definitions)
i. The title of this act shall be, the “Fair Workweek Act."

Section 2 (Gov't employee five-day workweek flexibility)
i. All government employees of the Southern Region who work five (5) days in a week shall have the option to choose between three (3) plans determining which days of the week they work.
   a. The first plan shall be called Workweek A. Workers who choose this plan must go to work on Mondays, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays.
   b. The second plan shall be called Workweek B. Workers who choose this plan must go to work on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays.
   c. The second plan shall be called Workweek C. Workers who choose this plan must go to work on Sundays, Mondays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays.
ii. If a regional government employee who works five (5) days in a week requests a different combination of days, whether it be for religious or personal reasons, the government of the Southern Region may permit the employee in question to work on a plan that best fits.

Section 3 (Implementation)
i. This legislation shall come into effect on January 1, 2023.

Aye

[GM Team Member and Senator WB]

Aye

[KoopaDaQuick 🇵🇸]

Present, I am glad my amendment might become law, although redacting the original text by DTC wasn't my intention. Oh well, I'm fine with it. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

[reagente]

aye

[diptheriadan]

Aye

[tmthforu94]

This has enough votes to pass, delegates have 24 hours to change their votes.