Reader comments
Will D.C. copy 4-day workweek from Utah?

Our gov? | 2:34 p.m. Nov. 18, 2008

You know there's something wrong when the Democratic majority leader wants to emulate the governor of Utah. There's either something wrong with Hoyer or Huntsman...which one or both?

Great Idea ! | 5:52 a.m. Nov. 19, 2008

I'm on a 9/80 work week with my employer, having every other Friday off. We've done it for about three years now. The schedule also reduces employee loss-time because we can schedule doctor appointments and other personal business on our off Friday. Other than for vital emergency services, I recommend it for every major employer.

Regarding the Motor Vehicle Department, Utah could adopt Monday as their off day, accomodating those who are off on Fridays.

JR | 6:49 a.m. Nov. 19, 2008

My Doctor and Dentist are both closed on Fridays so it doesn' work for me. There is lost productivity in some areas due to the type of work. I have to take vacation if I need to take care of things before Friday due to other places being closed when I get off work. It works for some but not others and for sure I don't think it is a good thing for young children/single mothers

Comments continue below

Anonymous | 7:32 a.m. Nov. 19, 2008

I worked in DC for awhile. The Feds already do this anyway. In fact, Capitol Hill really works on more of a three day work week. ("Work" being a relative term).

State employee opinion | 7:48 a.m. Nov. 19, 2008

What do the State employees think of the 4 day week? Is it good or bad for morale? productivity? What kind of savings are we seeing with offices shut down on Fridays?

crystalball | 8:30 a.m. Nov. 19, 2008

I'm a state employee and the 4/10 schedule is great. My productivity and morale has increased and since my kids are on 4 day school week I get to spend Fridays with them. We schedule doctor/dentist/orthodontic appointments on Fridays and I don't have to miss work and they don't have to miss school. Our office is rather small and with it being shut on Fridays we are saving significantly on heating/cooling bills as well as electricity to run computers, etc. on the extra off day. Seems to me that the only people who are opposed to the 4/10 schedule are parents who use school as a "babysitting" service for their kids on Fridays. Shame on them!

State Employee | 8:55 a.m. Nov. 19, 2008

I love the 4/10 schedule.

Elrond | 9:15 a.m. Nov. 19, 2008

I'm a state employee, and I hate the 4/10 schedule. It reduces my time with my family, including time to help kids with homework. If I have to take a family member to a doctor any day but Friday, I have to make the work up sometime. I frequently have to do a few hours of State work on Friday; I just can't get into my building to do it. Time may tell whether there is significant energy savings from closing State buildings on Fridays. Offices open 5 days per week with employees generally working 4 days would be a better schedule.

Ditto | 9:50 a.m. Nov. 19, 2008

I am a state employee and I love the 4/10 work week. It took some getting used to and we had to re-arrange family schedules, but overall it has been great. I am more productive at work. My morale has increased. And, I'm eliminating the 40+ mile round-trip commute. I work in a large building and I am certain we are saving taxpayers money by reducing HVAC expenses and electricity costs on Friday. I have never felt better about working for the state. I hope we keep 4/10's.

Still Wondering | 12:11 p.m. Nov. 19, 2008

How not working Friday will lower utility costs, when the still heat or cool the buildings for a minimum of 40 hours, they just do it in 4 days instead of 5. The productivity at our state agency has gone down in the area I work, by 3:00 those employees that had problems working an honest 8 hour day, are done.

I could see schools benefiting from a four day schedule, not due to the building, but the transportation costs. Since Fridays are normally a short day for schools, they probably would only have to increase the other days by an hour or so. But the reduction by 20% of the transportation cost would add up quickly.

BR | 12:52 p.m. Nov. 19, 2008

I worked in D.C.for the federal government and we had been in 4/10's for about 3 years already. Only we were open to not put out the public Mon-Fri. only difference half the staff were off on Mon & the other half were off on Fridays. It saved big bucks that way, relieved stress from staff and great for the customers since we still were giving full service instead of partial service like they are doing in Utah.

Rocky | 12:58 p.m. Nov. 19, 2008

I worked for the Federal Government in D.C. area and have been doing 4/10's for over 3 years. Only we open Mon-Fri. Half the staff are off on Mondays and the other half off on Fridays. It saves lots in utilities since less computers/office lights running. And great for our customers since we did not close on Fridays. It brought up morale and gave time to spend doing those other errands not able to do when the kids are home from school.

Goverment employees | 2:14 p.m. Nov. 19, 2008

Like County workers
Always leaning on a shovel
By the time they start working, It is Thursday quiting time and they are off for 3 days

l | 8:07 p.m. Nov. 19, 2008

I agree with "JR | 6:49 a.m."

Young children can't be expected to work 10 hours straight. There needs to be a law to limit the number of hours they can work per day.

Gdub | 7:21 a.m. Nov. 20, 2008

What a great idea. I love the convenience of registering my cars, getting a license, or going to the court house on other business now. I mean I only have to take time off work, drive 20 minutes, try to find a parking place, wait in line, get treated like crap, then get the opportunity to write a check. How about this. We change govt work hours to Wednesday thru Sunday. Gives all of taxpayers (your employeer) to take care of business on the weekend when we do not have to sacrifice time off, sick time (OUR TIME) to take care of the regulations that the fine people that we elect burden us with.

Federal Employee | 7:29 a.m. Nov. 20, 2008

I work for the Federal Government, and we have the 4/10 and from all of the people that are on that schedule, they all love it. I think that this issue will come down to a 70% loving it and 30 % not liking it at all. As for the people using the schools for their babysitting, they should stop being selfish and think of what their kids need (More Mom and Dad time)!

MikeG | 8:11 a.m. Nov. 20, 2008

The 4 day school week sounds good until you figure parents that work 5 days now have to find daycare for their children on Fridays. This could put a real burdin on stuggling families.

Bob | 8:16 a.m. Nov. 20, 2008

Why not just change the Federal Government work schedule from 5 eight hour days a week (40 hours) to 4 eight hour days a week (32 hours) and use the difference to balance the budget. Whether the Federal Government works 32 or 40 hours, the same amount of work would get done. And the cost for salarys could be reduced by 20%. I work for the Federal Government, and reducing the work week by one day would not change the amount of work we accomplish.

Drogum | 11:17 a.m. Nov. 20, 2008

Next we will want to change to a 35 hour work week. Then we might as well rename the country France at that point.

Papa Gino | 11:55 a.m. Nov. 20, 2008

The extra day off probably won't help the traffic as much as the Politicians think. Instead of being at the office all day, these folks will be free to get up and go anywhere they want any time fo the day for one extra day a week. Still, I'd like a 4/10 instead of the 5/10 I work now.

David | 1:39 p.m. Nov. 20, 2008

If the federal goverment can get by with twenty percent of the work force not on the job every day they should be able to totally rid themselfs of these workers. Is the plan to just pay the workers for thirty-two hours or still pay them the same?
If they pay the same what's the difference?
Sounds like a lot of crap to me I say fire half the fed. and state workers and we would still get the same sorry service.

jim | 2:40 p.m. Nov. 20, 2008

If the govt can work with 20% workforce and not affect the efficiency then why not cut the workforce by 20% and save the tax payers a lot of money?

Bill | 2:54 p.m. Nov. 20, 2008

If they can afford to let 20% of the people off each day of the week, then the govt agencys can clearly let 20% of it's workers go (saving a lot of money) and operate on a regular work week.

Less govt= less overhead.

obvious | 3:07 p.m. Nov. 20, 2008

I agree with David's & Jim's statements. When you live off of the government teet, which lives off the sweat of actual workers you should be on the bottom rung. Why not require all gov't workers to use mass transit since they are about the only workforce with set hours and NO PRODUCTION REQUIREMENTS!!!! Go to the DMV, courthouse, etc and see actually how much work is done in an hour. If these peole fell from a roof it would take them 2 hours to hit from being soooo slow.

Paulrevere | 4:13 p.m. Nov. 20, 2008

Just layoff 20% of these drones, state and federal, and save some real money. I was a state employee myself for seven years in Illinois and trust me I know what I'm talking about. Only exception I could make to this would be the departments of correction. Keeping the dirtbags and bangers locked up is a fulltime job.

Appalled by Govt | 4:58 p.m. Nov. 20, 2008

I work in the Federal Government. A 20% headcount reduction is shooting WAY too low... I think we could reduce h/c by 40% and not impact "productivity" one bit... Way too much overhead, bureaucracy and waste! If it's true that a four day week is desirable, let's try a three day week and reduce the workforce by two fifths...

Pete The Truth | 5:21 p.m. Nov. 20, 2008

I worked 4-10's in the military and outside. As a worker loved it! More time off. As a manager hated it because productivity was way down. Thursdays were Fridays, people took longer weekends off. We were on it for about 6 months and work got so far behind we went back to 5-8's plus OT. Right now I work 6 days a week of which 4 are 10's. One 8 hour shift and another 8 of OT. Makes for 32 hours of OT per pay period. Lots of work and very productive!! What they need to do is get rid of a lot the losers that work in the Federal Government!! That's not gonna happen with the Union!!! Your tax dollars at work!!!

Scrap Iron | 6:49 p.m. Nov. 20, 2008

There are TOO MANY federal employees to begin with.
Let the dead wood go (or are they unable to be fired?). Too much of the federal budget is spent on just adminiseting the programs that there is only so much left to actually put TO the program

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