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 In this murder, arresting the boyfriend was a big mistake. Online sleuths expose Epstein file redactions. After Kennedy Center name change, holiday jazz concert is canceled. Sammy Davis Jr.'s ex, Swedish actor May Britt, is dead at 91. Report an error