World | Britain Desperate Times: UK Mulls 3-Day Week Gov't may compensate workers to avoid higher cost of mass layoffs By Matt Cantor Posted Jan 25, 2009 10:39 AM CST Copied PM Gordon Brown. center, speaks at the Regional Economic Council, with Secretary of State for Business and Enterprise Peter Mandelson, left, and Chancellor of the Exchequer Alistair Darling, Jan. 5. (AP Photo/ Lewis Whyld) Now officially in recession amid the global downturn, the specter of a three-day work week has emerged in Britain, the Independent reports. Though officials say it’s "not imminent," the government has discussed paying firms to cut hours with public cash going toward compensating employees for the lost time. But such a move could hurt already-flagging confidence in the economy. Read These Next Gavin Newsom has filed a massive lawsuit against Fox News. Supreme Court is a yes on age checks for porn sites. President Trump celebrates a 'giant' Supreme Court win. Actor Sam Rockwell gets residuals from movie he wasn't in. Report an error