SAN DIEGO — The idea of a 32-hour full-time work week is being debated in the California State Legislature.

Assembly Bill 2932 proposes reducing the legal, full-time work week to four, eight-hour days while paying employees the same wages as the 40-hour work week. This proposal would only affect companies that employee over 500 people.

“I don’t think people will go for it. The idea of a 40-hour work is so baked in, it is engrained in business culture,” said Ryan Plewacki a former small business owner.

But University of San Diego business professor Alan Gin believes there is more to this discussion than a laugh.

“We’ve seen a lot of people leave the workforce and retire early,” Gin said. “Burnout is real.”

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported roughly 47 million people voluntarily left their jobs in 2021, which is simply unheard of.

“I think I would get the same amount done. The company that I currently work at they do summer Fridays, so you have half days during summer, and you just work faster because you want to have that half day,” said Becca Wallace, a hybrid office home worker.

The California Chamber of Commerce says this bill is a job killer and would end up costing companies 10% more in labor costs. AB2932 is still being altered and has yet to have its hearing scheduled.