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Four Day Working Week?

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Utah Four Day Work Week Environmentally Friendly

Not sure whether you would consider this a dream come true or not, depending on the hit your bank will take, but Utah has become the first US state to make it mandatory to take a three day weekend. Their guise is for environmental friendliness, but I think we can all see through that.

Governor Jon Huntsman, a first-term Republican, has introduced the change, which will affect the majority of state employees, in an attempt to reduce the state’s carbon footprint, increase energy efficiency, improve customer service and provide workers more flexibility. “The reaction (from the public) has been very much a willingness to give this a go,” he says.

The four day work week is not as uncommon as I first thought, with forms of it popping up all across the US. The USA Today article notes that “The four-day work week is fairly common among city and county governments…” and it continues:

Jacqueline Byers, director of research at the National Association of Counties, says the four-day work week is gaining in popularity among county governments. Marion County, Fla., has a mandatory four-day work week for employees; Oconee County, S.C., and Walworth County, Wis., have it for road work crews, while Will County, Ill., has it for the auditor’s office. Oakland County, Mich., is seeking volunteers for a four-day work week, and Miami-Dade County, Fla., and Suffolk County, N.Y., are moving toward it, she says

It is a rather drastic measure, cutting an entire day out of a work week, but one that is sure to make a big impact. While in the months to come – the new system is set to go into effect on August 4 – I’m sure we’ll see statistics explaining what the cutback has done specifically for the environment, but there is more. Such a measure, already seen to be working throughout smaller counties and cities, is another example of how local and individual changes are having large impacts.

There will obviously be some immediate negative impacts. “One thing that has to be changed is the level of expectation from taxpayers, because they’ve always wanted five-day access,” Byers says. “They have to adjust to offices that are open longer on weekdays, but closed on Fridays.”

In addition, longer work days will create problems for those dealing with public transport and childcare, but the Utah government is looking to have these issues ironed out before the August 4th start date.

In fact, Rex Facer, an assistant professor at Brigham Young University whose research team is studying the four-day work week concept, believes that such a change will have impacts on the work-life balance as well. “More and more young workers are entering the work force,” Facer says. “They’re looking for ways to enhance their work-life balance. Alternative work schedules offer more of this work-life balance than do traditional work schedules.”

So all in all, I can hardly see where this can go wrong!

SOURCE

Sounds good in my books B)

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yeah i heard about this and thought it was great. depending on your job, after eight hours you usually want to GTFO, but with an extra day of weekend it would be that much easier. economically and whatever, it may not be the best idea but in terms of lifestyle and environment it's brilliant. it wouldn't really work in countries like the UK where lots of people work long weeks.

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sounds o.k if u work for the gov

but just another pain in the arse for the real workers

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How so Moses?

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well most of the article talks about closing local gov offices one day a week

in my case the only day i would have to use these services is on my monthly r.d.o.

most gov dep have hour lunch, most factories(ive worked in) get 1/2 hour so cant contact them during work hours

they close when you are finishing so cant go after work

and even if you did make it before they closed when was the last time you got served in a gov dep in under 30 minutes?

the last thing our slack gov needs is another excuse to not do work

take our adelaide state gov

sitting only 52 days this year

pollies take average 2-3 holidays/breaks a year(not including easter,christmas)

so you gotta wonder when are they gonna have time to do anything?

if people sitting in comfortable offices need an extra day off

then so do the people whose money they leach

it's all or nothing.

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Recently the French have decided to go back to a 38 hour week instead of 35 as it has been. Sad that it hasn't worked. Can't think of the last time i worked a 38 hour week, but that is the price you pay when you have a financial intrest in the company you work for. My biggest working week happend when i was driving tractors during the harvest season, i signed on for and got paid for a 102 hour week !

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I agree it would probably end up with less work being done (even if the days worked were a few hrs longer), and that slack work ethics would probably get slacker, but I think you are missing a point in regard to:

if people sitting in comfortable offices need an extra day off then so do the people whose money they leach it's all or nothing.

From what I've read, it is mandatory across all of Utah for the trial period, so it should therefore be equal for all. Am I missing something?

I am a little unsure about the claims that this will lead to less carbon emissions from commuters - wouldnt people use their third day off to do things that also involve driving? I know I use the car more on weekends than work days. This point leaves me a little unsure about the claims that this is in the name of the environment, but who knows there is probably a few points that I've overlooked.

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I agree it would probably end up with less work being done (even if the days worked were a few hrs longer), and that slack work ethics would probably get slacker, but I think you are missing a point in regard to:

if people sitting in comfortable offices need an extra day off then so do the people whose money they leach it's all or nothing.

From what I've read, it is mandatory across all of Utah for the trial period, so it should therefore be equal for all. Am I missing something

nah, i could be missing it but i interpreted this statement

Governor Jon Huntsman, a first-term Republican, has introduced the change, which will affect the majority of state employees

as meaning gov employed people only

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if people sitting in comfortable offices need an extra day off

then so do the people whose money they leach

it's all or nothing.

I couldn't agree more man, but luckly I get days off during the week now so I can run around and get things done.

In my last job I would start at 730 and knock off at 430, Monday to Saturday.

God forbid if I needed to go into the bank or post office.

If anything we should all work an extra day, 6 day work week, all get a pay rise and pay half the amount we do for petrol.

Perfect world...

Gen

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nah its just another plot to get more people into the government work force, they do want total control of our money and societies.

4 days a week while the rest of the nation that make the money to fund thier salaries work, 5,6,7 days a week, 50 plus hours a week......

just a piss in the face to the engine of the economy, and the national debt payers...... (non government workforce).

it will just induce a mentality of lazyness, and more money for less productivity, this a seriously stupid move, and to white wash it with saving the planet is just a cop out.

if the said council is determind to go green, buy a farn'g wind mill or 1000.

my 2 cents

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Grin...

Give me my 8 x 12 hour days on, and my 6 days off... that's all i need. Only thing that sucks is being away from the family, but a 6 day block where i can spend 24-7 with them makes up for it...

i dont think i could do a 9 til 5 weekday job... how mundane... :)

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I agree just make it 8-6 instead of 9-5 give me a monday off.

Not that i actaully work...

I know of the ICU doctors who work three days a week in 12 hour shifts... which is mostly just sleeping in his hamic and looking on ebay- and drinking coffee. but thats besdie point. I would gladly work form 8-8 three days a week and still go home and spend 4 days with the misses.

because really be honest with yourslef? how much do you really do when you get home from work? Have a quick microwaved meal and watch tv?

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some other developed countries have 35 hour working weeks mandated by award. because this essentially equates to a 4.5 work day week most employers and employees try to make arrangements to either work 4 days with longer hours, or to work alternating weeks of 4 and 5 days. The former option is preferred for large businesses, while the latter option works better for small businesses.

I am not sure if I would be happy with a 4 day public service week, but to be honest, a lot of the public service already works like that anyway. having lived in canberra for several years I found that no one works on friday afternoons anyway. so, rather than getting put on hold all the time they might as well just not bother opening on friday afternoons. It would make no difference.

I think that far more important than 4 day weeks is the establishment of MUCH more flexible work hours. It would solve the problems of rush hour and hence the need for road/rail expansion.

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sounds o.k if u work for the gov

but just another pain in the arse for the real workers

i would make an exception for those working in DOCS. most workers average an 80hr week.

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some other developed countries have 35 hour working weeks mandated by award.

Some of the employees at my local government (shire council) work a 35 hour week as mandated by their award. I can't understand the logic behind office workers having a juicier award package than outdoor workers. I'm not saying one type of job is easier or harder than the other, both have their pros and cons, but why then is an outside workers time and effort worth less than a shiney bums? Got nothing to do with office based staff processing all the paper work of course :scratchhead: .

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why then is an outside workers time and effort worth less than a shiney bums?

I've often wondered about that. It seems very unfair and I can safely say that most outdoor jobs are far more intense (both physically and often mentally) than office jobs. I think it has a lot to do with the fact that the public service (PS) obtains its funding from taxpayers money (so there is a huge amount of $ - even though it should be going into fixing hospitals, roads, etc - not being splurged on office workers) whereas your average company has to obtain its funds from its own previous work (or a loan if first starting out). This might be interpretted as the PS sets what should be the average wage and other companies just cant compete (some certainly can and offer far more than gov owned offices - see Google for one huge example) or it could show that tax payer $ is getting pissed up the wall. All a matter of perspective I think.

Got nothing to do with office based staff processing all the paper work of course

Apart from setting the average wage and reinforcing companies to stick to that or above, I dont think the PS has much involvement in that sort of thing. I really think it comes back to my above thoughts, but would be interested to hear more educated opinions than mine :)

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I work a maximum of 30 hours a week for several years now.

I'm fine with doing without the extra money I could earn because my own free time is more important to me than money

I am self employed,so I set my own hours

Time is our most precious commodity.

Take time to smell the roses.

Or just breathe and walk on the earth with peacefull steps

In my experience,no matter how hard you work, the money just evaporates.

You can't take any of that material crap with you to the other side.

There are so many better ways to spend your time than selling it for money.

a lifetime goes by like snapping your fingers

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So very well said Osprey.

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