Reader comments
Short week spurs some long faces

Anonymous | 3:21 a.m. Aug. 9, 2008

ever hear of this new invention called a phone?

You use it to call and find out business hours before going somewhere....

Milo P Otis | 7:30 a.m. Aug. 9, 2008

The state needs to do more online registration and become more e-friendly in lieu of the new schedule. 4 10 hour schedules or 5 8 hour schedules - I hate the lines and wait. There are so many of us who are computer literate business can be conducted via the net.

M Harris | 8:20 a.m. Aug. 9, 2008

Why not let some employees have Friday off, some Mondays. That would still give shorter work week for employees, but have offices open to accomodate those who do not have such schedules.

Comments continue below

It takes more than a doughnut | 8:53 a.m. Aug. 9, 2008

to really make someone happy when you mess with their time and their life.

Pretty Sure | 8:59 a.m. Aug. 9, 2008

the media killed this story. How a person not no buildings were going to be shut down?

Camille | 9:25 a.m. Aug. 9, 2008

Couldn't they take a different day off during the week? Perhaps a Monday? Who knows if that would work, but I thought I'd throw it out there.

Cry Me a River | 9:42 a.m. Aug. 9, 2008

I have little sympathy for those who whined about the government buildings being closed and their (sob) inconvenience because of it. This change was publicized to death. DMV takes care of most of their business on line. The offices are opened longer hours Mon-Thurs.

I'm a die hard Democrat, but I have to give Governor Huntsman his due. He is trying out new programs. IF this doesn't work, he'll change it back. But in the meantime, people need to get a collective grip and re-arrange.

Also the only reason the schools can't change over to a four day week is that parents might have to (horrors) parent their children on Friday. All it proves is that schools are expected to be day-care instead of -- or maybe including -- educational institutions.

Byron | 9:46 a.m. Aug. 9, 2008

Since state offices are supposed to serve the public, why couldn't four-day-a-week employees be shuffled - on a rotating basis, perhaps - so that the offices are manned five days a week? The public ought to come first.

Anonymous | 10:30 a.m. Aug. 9, 2008

The article would heve been more helpful if it stated which offices were open at 8 and which were open at 7, closed at 5 and closed at 6.

Marilyn | 11:39 a.m. Aug. 9, 2008

I totally agree with M Harris. Staggered shifts would respond to all issues here; everyone would be served.

Anonymous | 12:45 p.m. Aug. 9, 2008

The purpose of the 4 day week was to save money in two ways....

1. Employees wouldn't have to pay to commute that extra day.

2. Offices will be closed to save on electricity, A/C, etc.

If the employees are rotated and the office stays open 5 days then the proposal makes less sense.

That is why.

Don | 2:04 p.m. Aug. 9, 2008

Staggered shifts and rotating shifts to keep the buildings open would defeat the whole purpose of the program, which is to close the buildings to save energy costs. Who would want to go sit in a hot, stuffy DMV building for a couple of hours anyway when you can accomplish the same thing at home with a few mouse clicks? Go to Utah.gov and see what you can do there, like see which services are still open on Friday, for instance.

Byron | 2:11 p.m. Aug. 9, 2008

The whole idea of the 4 day work week is to save money. Having many offices closed an extra day saves on expenses. This was not done just to give state employees an extra day off. This info was also widely publicized. So your suggestion of rotating days off to keep the offices open 5 days goes against the whole purpose.

Anonymous | 2:40 p.m. Aug. 9, 2008

Isn't the DMV busy enough without cutting out a whole day? They should either stagger the employees or not do this idea at all. I would be pissed if I took a day off the place was closed.

open late | 4:09 p.m. Aug. 9, 2008

Yea . . . they may be closed on Friday. So what! They are open later mon-thur. So now you don't have to be there BEFIORE 5:00 PM to get things done.

Sound like a win-win situation to me. I don't have to take a doy off work top go, because they are only open when I'm at work. I can now go in the eve. after work. Yea, for the new hours!

Susan | 4:39 p.m. Aug. 9, 2008

There is really no savings anywhere except maybe for commuting. The buildings will still be open 40 hours a week. On Friday, the Workers day off, they will be home cooling down their houses, etc. at the time they use to be at work. Not much saving there.

We will all adjust and get used to it, even though it will be inconvenient at times.

I wish I could be a state worker and get a 3 day weekend every week. (A huge benefit for them) It would be nice.

Cave dwellers | 6:43 p.m. Aug. 9, 2008

Every story I heard or saw about this always mentioned the DMV as being one of the offices affected.
Susan: they're not trying to save the employees money (the lack of a Friday commute is a bonus), the main purpose was to cut millions of dollars from the state budget.
Hopefully the money will be put to good use (education, public servants, etc.)

Steve | 2:08 p.m. Aug. 11, 2008

Susan:

Good analysis. However: the heating/air conditioning bill for large buildings is enormous. Most people don't turn their heat or a/c off completely during the day when they go to work. So yes, there will be a major cost savings by turning off the heat/ac for a day. I should know: I've come in to my office on many a summer Saturday or Sunday when the a/c was off, and the temperature was absolutely sweltering.

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