The “Break it Down” Blog

With gas prices around $4/gallon and budgets everywhere getting crunched with higher costs of… everything, states are struggling to figure out how to lower costs and try and accomodate greener practices.

After a year-long study, Utah has announced this week that it will be moving to a 4-day (Monday through Thursday), 10hr/day work week.

The announcement will effect 17,000 of the 24,000 government workers in Utah and save the government a ballpark of around $4 million/year in lessened energy expenditures (electricity for lighting and AC as well as reimbursed fuel expenses).

The hidden benefits here are the boost in moral due to the 3-day weekends ever week, a boost in the local economy as locals go out on Friday to enjoy the city, hang out or golf and another potential side-benefit is the attraction of younger workers to the government workforce for the promise of a 3-day weekend.

There are a few challenges to get around, first being adjustments in the bus and child-care schedules that will need to move around to accomodate the new working schedules but spirits seem to be high around the change.

Good luck to you guys in Utah, this sounds really cool!