News Gregoire Considering Longer Workdays, Shorter Weeks for State Employees
posted by on August 15 at 17:43 PM
Governor Gregoire is looking for ways to cut costs in the state budget, and it looks like she’s considering shortening the work week.
The Spokesman Review has the scoop:
Dear fellow state employee:In my last e-mail to you, I asked you all to give me suggestions on creative ways to save money, cut fuels costs and help us meet our service obligations in these challenging economic times. I asked for ideas on how to avoid trips - even across town - and still get your very important jobs done. In fact, I asked you to be as creative in increasing savings as you are with your own family budgets. And if you came up with ideas that can be applied across state government, I wanted to hear from you.
I knew I could count on you and was pleased to receive over 300 responses. Some of the ideas included improving the state’s buying policies, encouraging more mass transit, vanpool use and teleconferencing, and eliminating cell phones and Blackberries. However, the most popular idea was implementing a ten-hour workday four days a week.
I have asked my senior staff and cabinet directors to investigate the feasibility and cost saving possibilities of each idea. Some of your ideas were very specific to your agency or division, and I have asked agency directors to look into those.
I also want to let you know that the suggestion box is still open. As I said in my earlier message, “when all is said and done, it is each of you making thousands of decisions every single day who will determine how effective these steps will be.”
You are a major part of one of the best state governments in our nation. I thank you for your service and look forward to more ideas for saving money and cutting fuel costs.
Once again thanks for your help.
Chris
Could this be the end of Casual Fridays???
It's not the end of casual fridays, it's the start of nude fridays, on the couch, at home.
i have worked the 4-10 schedule, and it is ideal. the extra two hours a day are nothing compared to the full extra day off at the end of the week. 3 day weekends are magic. i wish EVERYONE was on this schedule.
WWCD?
(what would Chinaski do?)
So I think someplace else just implemented this. California? Arkansas?
What's more casual than not going in at all?
Casual Thursday!!
But I'm lookin good again on Fridays : (
I'm voting for Chris Gregoire! ugh! my office has just had 2 "Super" Casual Fridays! While I love the jeans and t-shirts idea, I don't always love the NASTY feet I see in flip-flops on Fridays!
I think this is a great idea.
4: The Spokesman-Review link said Utah moved to 4/10 and estimates saving $3 million (I assume this is a yearly total)...
It makes sense for a lot of reasons. Granted, the public loses a day of service, but given the apparent hole the state budget is/will be in, every bit helps.
@10,
I'll take one less day of service for government offices staying open later. It drives me crazy when everything from government agencies to private businesses close at 5pm every day. Hello? Most of us work 9 to 5 as well, and some of us can't make personal calls during work hours or leave early to go deal with government bureaucracy.
My fathers HCS co-workers and some of my step-mothers co-workers have been doing this for a long time. It's really nothing new in the state.
Lucky for us that it's an election year, or we would be looking at some type of tax increase to make up the budget shortfall. Which may happen anyways AFTER the election.
You gotta pay to play papillon. It costs money to run a state. And since Bushco's war and tax cuts are draining the life out of the economy and federal coffers, taxes are going to continue to go up, even if Dino gets in office. The only difference is, our taxes will go to help people like Kemper Freeman bring more saps into his tacky little corner of consumerism.
If it is too burdensome, you could move to Alabama or someplace.
Oh hell yes. Where can I get a state job?
Yeah, how exactly does this "cut costs"?
It seems more like giving state employees a free day off every week!
@16
Which is a smart tactical move in an election year. This, combined with the usual "sick day" on most Mondays will mean a 3 day work week...
So, I assume that this means that government offices will be open later now?...
Workin the 4 10s is pretty much teh awesome. Having a weekday off work to run errands makes life so much easier it's ridiculous.
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