tpo1 integrated task

Both the reading passage and the offered lecture focus on the possible advantages and disadvantages of a policy which requires companies to offer the employees the option of working four days a week instead of five days a week for four-fifth or eighty percent of their normal salary in the United States. Although the three hypothesizes presented by the author corroborates his finding, the speaker provides some evidence to refute them all.
First of all, the author claims that the policy would be beneficial for the company, since 4-day employees will be paid eighty percent of their normal salary and they are less likely to make costly errors since they are rested and more alert. However, the speaker believes that the company will have to spend a lot more money by adding new employees to accomplish the companies' goal, because the new employees will need training and medical benefits. Moreover, all employees need the same health benefits regardless of the number of the days they work. Plus more employees need more office space and equipment.
Secondly, the author asserts that the policy may lead to a lower unemployment rate for the whole country, since the companies would employ more people. Whereas, the speaker states that the companies would choose a less costly option like asking the employees to work over time or they will expect the 4-day employees to work as much as they did in 5 days. As a result, there won't be more jobs created and current jobs will become so unpleasant.
Finally, the author suggests that the policy may raise the quality of the employees' lives and they will be able to pursue their interests. On the contrary, the speaker mentions that the policy would decrease the employees' job stability and they may have lower chances of getting promotions. Also, they are more likely to lose their jobs on downturns.