4-Day Workweek Would Improve Mental Health, Happiness, Marylanders Say

MARYLAND — An overwhelming majority of Marylanders would support a four-day workweek after lawmakers introduced a proposal to permanently erase a day from the 9-to-5 calendar.

More than 67 percent of readers who responded to a Patch non-scientific survey said they support a bill recently introduced in the Maryland General Assembly that proposes launching a pilot program to encourage and incentivize public and private companies to implement a four-day workweek.

Meanwhile, 24 percent of readers said they opposed the measure, while 9 percent were unsure. A total of 252 people responded to the survey.

"I wholeheartedly support this measure in the interest of improving the health and well-being of workers and each individual's work-life balance (and therefore our communities as a whole)," one reader wrote. "The 'standard' five-day, 40-plus-hour workweek is archaic and, in most cases, completely unnecessary."

According to the Four-Day Workweek Act of 2023, a business must have at least 30 employees and no prior plans to shift to a four-day workweek to participate in the program. Those that do could receive a state tax credit of up $750,000.

"This is going to kill small businesses struggling to find people to cover all shifts," one reader said in opposition.

According to the proposal, employers also can't decrease pay or benefits from the standard five-day week.

Readers who supported the measure felt worker fatigue, mental health, work-life balance and happiness would improve under the program. Responses have been slightly edited for grammatical accuracy.

"Family time and 'me' time have become extremely important to me in these increasingly stressful days," one reader wrote. "And I spend more time at work than with family and friends."

"That would benefit every aspect of our lives, resulting in better health and improved family relationships," another wrote.

"I strongly think that if it is reduced to 4 days of work in a week, employees will be motivated, energized, grateful and work harder and accomplish the same (if not more) results," a reader wrote.

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"Businesses also can't continue to encourage and celebrate longer days. It shouldn't be encouraged and celebrated to burn the candle at both ends," one reader said. "This isn't just a day off. It's about the culture of 9-to-5 work and people deciding if they want work to rule their life or their life to come first."

Not everyone supports the measure, though. Many readers criticized lawmakers for meddling in what should be a business decision.

"This should be an individual business decision and not be incentivized by the state government," one reader wrote. "State government does not need to throw money into the ring which will add to any state deficit in upcoming years."

"The government should stay out. Let the companies and employees decide," another wrote.

"Government should stay out of private business," another said. "We all know government employees will be the ones that get to work fewer hours. They should cut spending in government."

Hearings on the bill are expected to be held this month.

If passed, the pilot program would begin July 1 and expire in 2028. The Maryland Department of Labor would also be required to document program results and present them to Gov. Wes Moore and the General Assembly every December.