Utah is going to a 4-day workweek to save energy

[ensho]

http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-four4-2008jul04,0,341302.story


Starting next month, it will be "TGIT" for Utah state employees. As in: "Thank God It's Thursday."

In a yearlong experiment aimed at reducing the state's energy costs and commuters' gasoline expenses, Utah is about to become the first state to switch to a four-day workweek for thousands of government employees.

They will put in 10-hour days, Monday through Thursday, and have Fridays off, freeing them to golf, shop, spend time with the kids or do anything else that strikes their fancy. They will get paid the same as before.

"One of the jokes is that one of the biggest benefits will be for golf courses," said Ryan Walker, 49, an information technology director. He said he is looking forward to tackling items on his long-neglected "honey-do" list (As in: "Honey, do this" and "Honey, do that"); camping; and traveling more around the state.

The order issued by Republican Gov. Jon Huntsman will affect about 17,000 out of 24,000 executive-branch employees. It will not cover state police officers, prison guards or employees of the courts or Utah's public universities. Also, state-run liquor stores will stay open on Fridays.
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[Sequoia]

1. I don't like 10 hour days. Why can't they still work 8 hours?

Really, why do we need a 40 hour work week. I say lower the hours.

[stimbox]

3. Exactly!

32 hour work week no cut in pay.

I'd vote for that.

[Sequoia]

4. You know it! People could be worked to death.

Some jobs are pretty stressful and adding two more hours a day just might backfire...as in low performance, etc.

[stimbox]

6. The Japanese call it Koroshi. Working yourself to death.

Some Toyota exec recently died from overwork.

Low performance or complete burn-out.

[shadowknows69]

2. State run liquor stores?

[ensho]

5. lol - I noticed that too

nt

[Freddie Stubbs]

7. They have those is Pennsylvania too

They are a holdover of the 'Progressive' era when people needed to be protected for alcohol. Now there is an unholy alliance of social conservatives and union members who are dead set against privatization.