On December 6, 2021, MPP Bhutila Karpoche tabled the Four-Day Work Week Act. If passed the bill would establish the Four-Day Work Week Commission, which will develop recommendations on how to implement a pilot project designed to determine the effectiveness of a four-day work week in Ontario. No later than one year after receiving the report setting out these recommendations, the Minister of Labour, Training and Skills Development shall implement the pilot project, which will last one year. After this time, the Minister is required to prepare a report in consultation with the Commission that sets out recommendations regarding a four-day work week for Ontario workers.
Jurisdictions around the world including Iceland, Japan and New Zealand have adopted four-day work weeks on a pilot or permanent basis, with reports showing successful results for both workers and employers. Reported benefits have included greater gender equity and job productivity, higher workplace morale, and improved mental and physical health for workers.
“Other communities who have tried this have seen benefits like better mental health, greater gender equity, more productivity and engagement, a lower carbon footprint, and better work-life balance for working parents. For those communities, a four-day work week was a win-win. Ontario workers deserve to have their government explore these potential benefits for them, too” said Karpoche.
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