Boyer says the bill would mean a 20% raise, more overtime and higher prices
Noel BoyerPresident, All About Trees
Noel Boyer, president of All About Trees, said the bill would give each of his employees a 20% raise on day one because he would have to pay them the same for fewer hours. He said he would also pay a lot more overtime and would have to raise prices significantly to recoup the cost.
“That means that on day one, every one of my employees gets a 20% raise just like boom, because if I’ve got to pay them the same for a quarter less hours, they’re taking a 20% raise right off the top. So it means I’m going to be paying a lot more overtime plus the 20% raise that everybody gets just for already. And the only way to really recoup that...most small businesses run on a fairly small margin. The only way to recoup that is to jack prices up, and it’s going to be significant.”
Reporting
Where this statement fits
Should Congress Enact Bernie Sanders’s 32-Hour Workweek Bill?
On September 8, 2026, Rep. Mark Takano introduced H.R. 10323, the Thirty-Two Hour Workweek Act; Sen. Bernie Sanders introduced the Senate companion, S. 5384, on September 14. The bills would phase the federal weekly overtime threshold for covered nonexempt workers from 40 to 32 hours and add daily premium-pay thresholds; they would not set a universal cap on work hours. Supporters urge Congress to enact them as a way to share productivity gains, while opponents predict harm to jobs, benefits, and prices. The dispute is whether Congress should enact the paired proposals.
Source and context
Reporting
About this source
KY3 (Springfield, MO) report on local small-business owners' concerns about Bernie Sanders's 32-hour workweek bill.
Before the quotation
Commenting on the bill's impact on his tree-care business.
After the quotation
No further public follow-up had been reported as of this writing.
How this statement is classified
The label describes this statement's response within the context above.
Why this label?
Boyer opposes the bill on cost grounds, saying it would give his employees an immediate 20% raise, add overtime costs and force significant price increases at his business.
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- People and groups discussed
- Bernie Sanders
Corrections to this statement
These notices document reporting corrections, classification changes, and topic-label updates.
Reporting correction
Correction to: Statement by Noel Boyer
- Previous language
- effective 20% pay raise per employee for fewer hours
- Corrected language
- That means that on day one, every one of my employees gets a 20% raise just like boom, because if I’ve got to pay them the same for a quarter less hours, they’re taking a 20% raise right off the top. So it means I’m going to be paying a lot more overtime plus the 20% raise that everybody gets just for already. And the only way to really recoup that...most small businesses run on a fairly small margin. The only way to recoup that is to jack prices up, and it’s going to be significant.
An earlier version of this entry presented a paraphrase as Noel Boyer's own words. We replaced it with his remarks as KY3 reported them.
This corrects our account of what happened.
KY3 (Springfield, MO) report on local small-business owners' concerns about Bernie Sanders's 32-hour workweek bill.
More from this case
Read the full caseCEA predicts employment losses under the proposed 32-hour workweek
Council of Economic Advisers
“Reduce employment among affected workers by between 8 and 12 percent”Read statement
UE confirms it endorses the 32-hour workweek bill
United Electrical, Radio and Machine Workers of America
“I can confirm that we did, indeed, endorse the bill. ... The Sanders bill is in line with our resolution, "A Just Economy for All" ... which "Reaffirms ... our goal of reducing the work week" and "Calls upon the labor movement to pursue a shorter work week with no loss in pay."”Read statement
Richard Rodriguez supports the 32-hour workweek bill
“one step in a longer trail”Read statement
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The Dispute Index. "Boyer says the bill would mean a 20% raise, more overtime and higher prices". First published: 2026-09-17. Last updated: 2026-09-25. https://disputeindex.com/events/884-noel-boyer-president-of-all-about-trees-said