Encouraging a four-day working week could make inequality worse

By David Spencer, Professor of Economics and Political Economy, University of Leeds

The UK government has announced a proposal that would give workers the right to request a four-day working week.

On the surface, it appears to be a bold step. It responds to demands – intensified by the pandemic – for a new pattern of working that gives greater flexibility over working hours. And although this specific proposal focuses on compressing usual work hours into fewer days, it speaks to the advantages of shorter hours that have become a prominent part of campaigns for a four-day working week.

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