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 He heckled President Trump, is now $430K richer. Dems and Republicans team up to block Trump on Greenland. Joe Rogan is once again breaking with Trump. Officials say ICE agent who shot Renee Good had internal bleeding. Report an error