Proposed bill would shorten California workweek to 32 hours • Hacker News Board

Re: Proposed bill would shorten California workweek to 32 hours

#11

Post by toomuchtodo » Sat, Apr 09, 2022, 4:49 PM UTC

88913527 wrote: post #4

acwan93 wrote: post #2

Serious question, and maybe this is just based on the people I've met: I've been hearing lots of business owners complaining about California's labor laws getting increasingly hostile which leads companies to relocate or move as many resources they can outside of CA, much like Tesla did. Does anyone else share that sentiment? I personally think that this is well-intentioned but has consequences that need to be though…

I don't necessarily share the sentiment, but I am curious to hear the case for the consequences. California is basically its own economy: the state can make its own rules, so from my perspective, the state has more power to set the rules. Other states, at best, can market themselves as "not California"-- something to run from, but not necessarily something to run to.

Indeed, California is the fifth largest economy in the world, ahead of the UK and India (based on GDP).

Re: Proposed bill would shorten California workweek to 32 hours

#12

Post by enriquec » Sat, Apr 09, 2022, 4:51 PM UTC

voxl wrote: post #8

enriquec wrote: post #6

Earlier quoted context omitted.

economy doing well? are you telling me that cities that are completely unaffordable and overrun with crime, homelessness, and drug abuse - along with mass exodus - are signs of a healthy economy? I live here. I'm fighting the good fight - and it isn't working. It's getting worse every day.

Why are they signs of an unhealthy economy? Gentrification and bad zoning laws alone could explain many of your examples.

Weird comment. Could you define gentrification? For decades, "Gentrification" has the go-to for the people that applaud tesla leaving and Amazon being rejected by New York. Ironically, those same people are strong proponents of zoning and centralized planning of the whole state. Pretty fed up with their outsized control and demonization of anyone that tries to make things better.

Re: Proposed bill would shorten California workweek to 32 hours

#13

Post by karaterobot » Sat, Apr 09, 2022, 4:53 PM UTC

> Practically speaking, large employers would be required to compensate employees the same amount of pay for fewer hours worked.

Not sure that's true, unless the bill also mandates that employers continue paying the same amount to salaried employees. I assume what'll happen instead is that salaries go down to compensate, and wage employees get fewer hours. Personally, I'd be okay with that, but many people wouldn't want to take that hit.

Worth noting that this article is written by Fisher Phillips, a law firm that, according to Wikipedia, represents management exclusively, so they are not an unbiased source.

Re: Proposed bill would shorten California workweek to 32 hours

#14

Post by iso1210 » Sat, Apr 09, 2022, 4:58 PM UTC

enriquec wrote: post #6

dragonwriter wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I've been hearing lots of business owners complaining about California's labor laws getting increasingly hostile which leads companies to relocate or move as many resources they can outside of CA I’m almost 50, and I’ve been hearing and reading lots of this my whole life. But somehow California’s economy keeps doing well, even without being one of the places that are winning the battle to attract the firms that are…

economy doing well? are you telling me that cities that are completely unaffordable and overrun with crime, homelessness, and drug abuse - along with mass exodus - are signs of a healthy economy? I live here. I'm fighting the good fight - and it isn't working. It's getting worse every day.

So demand massivley outstrips supply. If people aren't living in such horrible circumstances (crime, homelessness, drug abuse), why is demand so high that houses are unaffordable?

Re: Proposed bill would shorten California workweek to 32 hours

#15

Post by mrfusion » Sat, Apr 09, 2022, 4:59 PM UTC

I really feel like work would be quite tolerable at 4 days a week. 5 days plus commute has always felt suffocating to me.

Re: Proposed bill would shorten California workweek to 32 hours

#16

Post by me_me_mu_mu » Sat, Apr 09, 2022, 5:03 PM UTC

acwan93 wrote: post #2

Serious question, and maybe this is just based on the people I've met: I've been hearing lots of business owners complaining about California's labor laws getting increasingly hostile which leads companies to relocate or move as many resources they can outside of CA, much like Tesla did. Does anyone else share that sentiment? I personally think that this is well-intentioned but has consequences that need to be though…

I feel like these trends are waves and we are currently in the down trend. I think we’ll see a bigger uptrend once the economy stabilizes again. We are in a multi prong proxy battle between energy sources and work/life shift. Once people figure out this change I’m sure things will get better as they did for other cities like nyc. Things were really awful back in the day and got better, then got worse, then got better again.

Also, companies might move their headquarters to Texas or whatever but people deep down (workers and probably also the company owners) prefer the lifestyle and experiences that California offers. California coast cities are amazingly beautiful and offer diverse range of activities outdoors and venue wise, and no massive McMansion in 100 degree Texas heat where you have AC blasting and Have to drive eight lane highways everywhere will ever replace the fact you can just hop on your bicycle and ride five min to the beach. I’m just going off anecdote from friends here.

Re: Proposed bill would shorten California workweek to 32 hours

#17

Post by rhexs » Sat, Apr 09, 2022, 5:05 PM UTC

_boffin_ wrote: post #3

acwan93 wrote: post #2

Serious question, and maybe this is just based on the people I've met: I've been hearing lots of business owners complaining about California's labor laws getting increasingly hostile which leads companies to relocate or move as many resources they can outside of CA, much like Tesla did. Does anyone else share that sentiment? I personally think that this is well-intentioned but has consequences that need to be though…

I have an extremely close friend, who is at the C-Level, that just shocked me with news of moving to Boulder, Colorado due to the hostile California laws. I haven't gone in detail with him about what laws/ordinances are specifically having him move there, but yeah...

Boulder is California-light. Colorado doesn’t yet have the endemic corruption you get with uniparty states like California, but with all the Californians moving there and doing the same thing, it’s coming.

The rise in homelessness in Boulder in just the past few years is amazing.

Re: Proposed bill would shorten California workweek to 32 hours

#18

Post by me_me_mu_mu » Sat, Apr 09, 2022, 5:05 PM UTC

enriquec wrote: post #6

dragonwriter wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I've been hearing lots of business owners complaining about California's labor laws getting increasingly hostile which leads companies to relocate or move as many resources they can outside of CA I’m almost 50, and I’ve been hearing and reading lots of this my whole life. But somehow California’s economy keeps doing well, even without being one of the places that are winning the battle to attract the firms that are…

economy doing well? are you telling me that cities that are completely unaffordable and overrun with crime, homelessness, and drug abuse - along with mass exodus - are signs of a healthy economy? I live here. I'm fighting the good fight - and it isn't working. It's getting worse every day.

I think from a politics standpoint yeah I’m kind of a doomer. I identify as liberal but the people running on liberal platform are really dumb and their opponents are insane/dumb in other ways. There’s no good options to vote for. Idk how we will manage to wade through that.

Re: Proposed bill would shorten California workweek to 32 hours

#19

Post by oneoff786 » Sat, Apr 09, 2022, 5:06 PM UTC

karaterobot wrote: post #13

> Practically speaking, large employers would be required to compensate employees the same amount of pay for fewer hours worked. Not sure that's true, unless the bill also mandates that employers continue paying the same amount to salaried employees. I assume what'll happen instead is that salaries go down to compensate, and wage employees get fewer hours. Personally, I'd be okay with that, but many people wouldn't w…

I doubt this though. Over the long term it’s about being competitive. The marginal value of a salaried employee hour is small. It’s the base availability that provides the most value.

Re: Proposed bill would shorten California workweek to 32 hours

#20

Post by BlueTankEngine » Sat, Apr 09, 2022, 5:06 PM UTC

88913527 wrote: post #4

acwan93 wrote: post #2

Serious question, and maybe this is just based on the people I've met: I've been hearing lots of business owners complaining about California's labor laws getting increasingly hostile which leads companies to relocate or move as many resources they can outside of CA, much like Tesla did. Does anyone else share that sentiment? I personally think that this is well-intentioned but has consequences that need to be though…

I don't necessarily share the sentiment, but I am curious to hear the case for the consequences. California is basically its own economy: the state can make its own rules, so from my perspective, the state has more power to set the rules. Other states, at best, can market themselves as "not California"-- something to run from, but not necessarily something to run to.

I think there most certainly is something to run to. Lower taxes, less regulations to comply with, state-level offices willing to get on the phone and make things happen to bring innovative businesses to the state, lower cost of living, better weather.

Whether or not you think all these things are good things for a state to have, or whether you think Texas represents your values, it most definitely offers something to run to, even in a world without California.