This thread discusses the Content article: HERALD POLL: Four-day week may need tweak

I applaud Governor Huntsman's intentions, and hope he did his homework.

The Municipality of Anchorage, under Republican Mayor George Wuerch, did something similar in 2002.

However, his aim was not just to cut costs, but to cut costs without cutting service quality.

Those government jobs that didn't require much or any public contact were put on what we called in Alaska "4 Tens," meaning a 4 day, 10 hour work week.

However, because service levels for the public were also important, those positions that did interface with the public were handled differently.

To avoid diminished service to the public, some employees worked 4 tens, with Fridays off, others with Mondays off.

Also, some employees were put on 9 hour days, and had every other Friday or Monday off.

It isn't as hard as you might think to implement and track, and this way there was adequate staff to keep convenient offices hours for the public, while still receiving the benefits of reduced costs.

Alaska's labor unions supported the changes as well.

By the way, Utah is not exactly known for its intelligent environmental practices... by leading the nation's state governments with the 4 tens work week, maybe will improve that reputation, and give us something to build on in the future.

Being a state employee, this new policy effects me. I find it very funny that people think this will benefit employees! It may in some ways, but in most ways it doesn't. Many have to alter their daycare, and other family related events. I know some people believe that the state should just fire state employees and I would agree with that to a small degree, but in reality most state employees stay at their job for the benefits, which the legislature is quickly taking away. This new policy doesn't really help most employees.

what about tax paying citizens, we payed for 5 days a week service this is not about the state employees this is about the stucture and duties that the state gov has to the people for the people. i will go along with it if the state works on holidays. in private biz we work on a structured time lines and how as i see it on a holiday that falls on monday would the state people off 4 days and work only 3 days that week i hope huntsmans dad can deal with that in his private biz and still be productive who are these guys kidding sounds to me like a another move that the people of utah are getting screwed on and as we all know about living in utah don't speak up for the church might throw you out for thinking for yourself and not what these so called gov people are doing. oh my god theirs someone in utah that accually would speak out. i see it as another stupid idea next they will tell you to send in all your money to the state and church and they take care of you sheep. stupid people wake up this is your life not theirs, buy the way i heard their planing a tax increase to pay for the day they don't work due to cost of being off and more able to spend our hard earned money. shame on you utah people no guts

Above all things, the one that I like about Provo living is its relative quietness on Sundays. I thank all LDS people and church going people who don't work, who don't go into restaurants...who actually acknowledge en masse the existence of a 'higher intelligence'.

Thanks a lot! It makes one day a week special! Traffic is greatly diminished...a lot of businesses are closed. I love that. Thanks Provo!

Instead of pushing for a 4 day work week, I'd like even better for even more businesses to follow suit and close shop on Sundays (this means you Wal-Mart). Let the world rest, give life a rest for one whole day.

This brings such a peace, and a peace of mind...kinda' makes time stand still.

To keep one day a week as work-free as possible is a wisdom that's over 3000 years old. It's listed with "don't kill", "don't steal", "honor your parents". In other words, 'rest on the same day every week' might be a little more important to our sanity than our capitalistic/money making society dares to acknowledge.