HomeMy WebLinkAbout1972-12-12; City Council; 899-1; 10 Hour Day 4 Day Work Week•.^ :� E O ^ X ^ F O 1: R L S B :! 1• C. A L 1 F O R N I A
Agenda Bill No. CONTINUATION 899 Date: December 12, 1972
•Referred To:
Sttbject: Submitted By:
10-HOUR DAY - 4-DAY-WORK WEEK William Baldwin
Asst. to C/Mgr.
Statement of the matter
In•meeting of 10/17/72 the Council voted to temporarily continue
the 10-hour day, 4-day work week for various Public Works
Department employees.
In meeting of •11/21/72 the Council continued subject discussion
and requested that the Personnel Director submit an in-depth
study report on the effectiveness of the program with regard
personnel management, equipment usage and sunrise -sunset conflict.
The study report is accomplished and presented as reques'ted•for
the meeting'of 12/19/72.
i
i
Exhibit
Study Report -
The Public Personnel -Association distributes 4/40: THE FOUR_
DAY WORKWEEK
(2) The Institute for' Local Self Government chi tributes
THE FOUR -DAY WORKWEEK: A LOCAL GOVERNMENT PERSPECTIVE
(3) Sunrise -Sunset Chart
Staff Recommendations
CITY OF CARLSBAD
Council Policy No. 14 - Study No 1-72
I. Introduction
A. Identifying Information:
1. Date of report: December 13, 1972
2. Date study authorized: December 5, 1972
3. Study Number : 1-72
4. Study Long Title: A study to determine the feasibility
of a ten-hour day, four day work week for various City
departments beyond the period of Pacific Daylight
Savings Time and its effect upon more economical use of
City equipment.
5. Names and titles of investigators: WILLIAM C. BALDWIN,
Assistant to the City Manager; JEROME N. PIETI,
Purchasing Agent
B. Statement of the Problem: The statement of the problem for
this study is twofold.
1. To determine the feasibility of a ten-hour day, four
day work week for Utilities, Streets, Sanitation, Mechan-
ical Maintenance Divisions of the Public Works Department
and Parks Crews of the Parks Department.
2. To determine if this type of work week would provide
for more economical use of City equipment of these
departments.
C. Method: The method used in this study was first to review
previous studies on the same subject and determine if any of
them were applicable to the City of Carlsbad. Much infor-
mation exists regarding the four day work week, but it
usually is related to organizations which provide goods or
services for a profit. One exception was The Four -Day Work
Week - A Local Perspective prepared by the Institute for
Local Self Government, June 1972. The scope of this report
exceeded that required but was helpful in orienting to the
problem. Having reviewed previous studies, the next step
was to narrow the scope of the subject for Carlsbad's
particular case and identify possible courses of action open
10
Page 2
Study No. 1-72
to the City. Once this was accomplished, analysis and
comparison aided by input from the supervisors of the
departments and divisions involved resulted in conclusions
and recommendations.
D. Definitions:
1. Four Day Work Week in the context of this study means
four consecutive ten hour work days. Work accomplished
after the tenth working hour per any calendar day or
after the fourth consecutive working day constitutes
overtime.
2. Lunch Period in the context of this study is the
thirty y minute break from work at approximately noon
each day for the purpose of a midday meal.
3. Set -Up Time is a period at the beginning of each
work day of an unknown time during which personnel,
tools, and materials are prepared, loaded and trans-
ported to a work site.
4. Clean -Up Time is a period at the end of each work day
of an unknown time during which personnel, tools and
materials are returned and unloaded after return from
a work site.
5. Coffee Break is a period of approximately 15 minutes
duration provided each employee once during the
morning and once during the afternoon.
II. Discussion
A. Discussion: Several points which were brought out by
prevprev---vious studies as pertinent to the four day work week
were considered but found to be irrelevent to the situation
in the City of Carlsbad.
Consideration of such points of organized labor's viewpoint,
moonlighting, absenteeism, transportation plus social im-
pacts will not be presented in this report.
The subject of productivity could be considered as vital.
However, in that there is no concise and quantitative way
of measuring productivity of the departments involved, it
is treated generally and subjectively.
Having eliminated the above as bearing on Carlsbad's problem
Page 3
Study No. 1-72
the scope of this study was narrowed to the advantages to
the City of the various courses of action and the morale
of the employees.
To further narrow the scope and for the purposes of clarity,
it is restated that only the Strer:cs, Sanitation, Water
and Mechanical Maintenance Divisions of the Public Works
Department were considered. only the crews of the Parks
Department were considered when referring to Parks.
In reviewing the functions of the departments, a division
became apparent which would aid in evaluating the four day
week. Streets, water and sanitation activities contributed
directly to the maintenance of public health and safety.
Mechanical maintenance and parks, although important tc
the City's overall functions, satisfy secondary needs and
therefore were considered separately.
B. Statement of Facts:
1. The four day week was zuthorized by the Council in
meeting of July, 1972.
2. The four day week was authorized by the Council for a
period of Daylight Savings Time and continued in
November, 1972--•awaiting study.
3. The four day week was authorized by the Council for
the Public Works Department.
4. The hours of daylight are sufficient throughout the
year to enable crews to work a full day. (Exhibit 3)
5. Use of tha four day week has caused certain holiday
scheduling problems as well as the problem of the
two hour differential because of a ten bjur sick day.
An accumulation of ten hours not worked causes the
scheduling of an added ten hour (make-up) work day.
C. Courses of Action: There are three viable courses of action
open to the City.
1. Course of Action #1: To work a standard five day
week throughout the year.
2. Course of Action #2: To work a four day week during
the period of Pacific Daylight Savings Time only.
3. Course of Action #3: To work a four day week through-
out the year.
Page 4
Study No. 1-72
D. Analysis,
of Courses of Action:
1. Course of Action #1 - Streets, Water, Sanitation:
a.
Would provide for better public acceptance as a
f
five day work week is considered normal at present.
b.
Precludes the rescheduling of these employees
to make-up work missed due to holiday and/or
sick day.
c.
Shortens the period equipment is available on
a non-interference basis for mechanical maintenance.
d.
Provides for five l,inch periods, ten coffee breaks
and ten set-up and clean-up periods for a
40-hour week.
r
's
1
e.
Increases the possibility of daily overtime as
a shorter period on the job is available each day.
r
f.
Due to shorter time on the job each day increases
the possibility of having to barricade unfinished
jobs.
g.
{
Provides for continuity.
i
2. Course of Action #2 - Streets, Water, Sanitation:
a.
Provides greater period of job continuity on a
daily basis as two more hours are avialable.
b.
Eliminates one lunch period, two coffee breaks
and two set-up and clean-up periods for a 40 hour
work week.
c. Lessens the possibility of daily overtime as '
more time is available to complete daily jobs.
For example, asphalt patching would have time to
cool precluding the requirement to barricade
unfinished work.
d. It would make it easier to identify and compute
weekly overtime work which must be done on the
fifth day.
e. Does require rescheduling of employees to account
for holiday weekends or mid -week holidays.
Page 5
Study No. 1-72
f. There would be a greater possibility of emergency
call outs on the fifth day.
g. Does make equipment avialable to other departments
on fifth day.
3. Course of Action #3 - Streets, Water, Sanitation:
a. Generally, the same comments stated above hold
true.
b. Limited daylight at end of the working day during
periods of Pacific Standard Time.
c. Provides for -:ontinuity of working hours for
employees which enhances morale.
4. Course of Action #1 - Mechanical Maintenance, Parks:
a. Provides normal schedules most acceptable to
public.
b. Provides greater span for watering over a seven
day period.
c. Provides City personnel in and around park sites
1 and facilities during greater part of the week.
d. Greater flexibility is permitted in scheduling of
equipment.
e. With shorter work time available daily a carry-
over of uncompleted jobs could be a factor.
5. Course of Action #2 - Mechanical Maintenance, Parks:
a. Would provide three, day period without watering
during period most needed, Pacific Daylight
Savings Time.
b. Eliminates one lunch period, two c-)ffee breaks and
two set-up and clean-up times for 40 hour work
week.
c. Would add one day per week when parks would be
unmanned.
d. For mechanical maintenance the possibility of
more overtime due to emergency repairs on the
Page 6
Study No. 1-72
fifth day would increase.
e. Could be disruptive due to two periods of re-
scheduling each year.
6. Course of Action #3 - Mechanical Maintenance, Parks:
a. Essentially the same effects as Course of Action
#2 above.
b. Same daylight work time would be lost during winter
months.
E. Comparisons of Courses of Action:
See Page 7 - Study No. 1-72.
Ill. Summary
A. Conclusions: In the course of analyzing and comparing two
work -groups against three courses of action, a fourth course
of action becomes apparent. This course of action would
be to continue water, streets and sanitation on a year around,
four day week. The primary factors influencing this conclu-
sion being greater on the job time over a 40 hour work week,
both daily and weekly, despite some loss of daylight at
E the end of the wort: day during winter months. The precise
schedule will reflect how service is provided on an emergency
F level from each of these divisions over a five to seven
day period.
Concurrent with this conclusion as a part of a fourth course
of action would be to continue on a year around basis a
five day week for both parks and mechanical maintenance. In
that the job content and/or length are not vital to public
health and safety, these divisions should be scheduled
around streets, water and sanitation. In so doing the equip-
ment used during a four day week by streets, water and
sanitation would be available to parks for use and mechanical
maintenance on a non-interference basis on the fifth day.
B. Recommendations:
1. Water, streets, and sanitation divisions continue on
a year around four day week.
2. Parks and mechanical maintenance be scheduled for a
year around five day week.
A
E. Comparisons of _Courses of Action
Course of Action ail
Course of Action #2
1. Streets, 4later, Sanitation
1. Streets, Slater, Sanitation
a. A vantages
a. Advantages
(1� Better public acceptance.
(2 Less possibility of
(1) Elimination one lunch
period, two coffee breaks,
emergency overtime.
(3) Greater flexibility in
two set up & clean up
for forty hour work
scheduling.
(4) No semi-annual resched-
week.periods
(2) Provides greater daily on
cling,
the job time.
(5-) No specfal holiday re-
(3) Makes equipment available on
scheduling.
fifth day.
b. Disadvantages
b. Disadvantages
(1) one lunch period, two
(1) Requires semi-annual re -
coffee breaks and two
clean up and set up
scheduling.
(2) Any work done on fifth day
periods added to forty
hour work week.
is overtime.
(3) Requires r---scheduling due
(2) -Shorter daily on the job
to holidays.
time, greater possibility
of dai-ly overtime on un-
completed jobs.
2. Parks, Mechanical Maintenance
a. Advantaqes
Same as Above.
b. Disadvantages_
Same as a ove.
2. Parks, Mechanical Maintenance
a. Advantages
Same as above.
b. Disadvantages
Same as above.
1. Streets, 4later, Sanitation
a. Advantages �,� ;
i
(1) Doesn't require semi-
annual rescheduling.
(2) Generally same as CA --
#2.
b. Disadvantages
(1) Loss of some daylight
hours during the winter
months at end of working
day.
(2) Generally same as CA 02.
2. Parks, Mechanical Maintenance
a. A_d_v_a_n�tagess
Same as above.
b. Disadvantages_
Same as above.
S U —*R I S E A N 0 S U N S ET''�`" A D L E EXHIBIT 3
Pacific Standard Time (Time Meridian 120 W)
Latitude 32 43' N. Longitude 117 10' W.
Times are Daylight Saving where applicable.
Time from 12:01 midnight to 12:00 noon under Sunrise are A.M.
Time from 12:01 noon to 12:00 midnight under Sunset are P.M.
Date
Sunrise
Sunset
Date
Sunrise
Sunset
Jan 1
6:51
4:54
July 4
5:45
8:00
6
6:52
4:58
9
5:48
7:59
11
6:52
5:G2
14
5:51
7:58
16
6:51
5:06
19
5:54
7:56*
21
6:50
5:11
24
5:57
7:53
26
6:47
5:16
29
6:00
7:49
31
6:44
5:20
Aug 3
6.04
7.45-
Feb •
5
6:41
5:25
8
6:07
7:41
10
6,37
5:30
13
6:10
7:36
15
6:32
5:34
18
6:14
7:31
20
6:27
5:38
23
6:17
7:25 '
25
6:21
5:43
28
6:21
7:19
Mar
1
6:17
5:46
Sept 2
6:24
7:12
6
6:11
5:50
7
6:27
7:06 -
11
6:04
5:54
12
6:30
6:59
16
5:58
5:57
17
6:33
6:52
21
5:52
6:01
22
6:37
6:46
26
5:45
6:04
27
6:40
6:39
31
5:38
6:08
Oct 2
6:43
6:32
Apr
5
5:32
6:11
7
6:47
6:26
10
5:26
6:15
12
6:50
6:20
15
5:19
6:19
17
6:54
6:14
20
5:14
6:22
22
6:58
6:08
25
5:08
6:26
27
7:02
6:03
30
6:03
7:29
-
Nov 1
6:06
4:58 ;
May
5
5:58
7:33
6
6:11
4:54
10
5:54
7:37
11
6:15
4:50
15
5:50
7:40
16
6:19
4:47
20
5:47
7:44
21
6:24
4:45
25
5:44
7:47
26
6.28
4:43
30
5.42
7.50
June 4
5:41
7:53.
9
5:40
7:56
14
5:40
7:58
19
5:41
7:59
24
5:42
8:00
29
5:43
8:01
Dec 1
6:33
4:42
6
6:37
4:42
11
6:41
4:43
16
6:44
4:45
21
6:47
4:47
26
6:49
4:49
31
6:51
4:53
No allowance has been made for the elevation of the observer. San Diego, California.
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EXHIBIT 1
Foreword
The 20th Century has seen a gradual reduction in working hours and increase
in leisure time. The establisYnent of the eight -hour day was a landmark;
the five-day t;eek another. Increasing proluctivity has of course been the
factor that has made this shortening of the work -week possible.
Vow the four -day ,,eek seems to loom on the horizon. A few employers have
begun to experiment ;rith it, including some in the public sector. 4Ihether
these developments presage a trend remains to be seen.
In this special report, the author surmarizes the experience to date in
public agencies and hazards a guess about the future. She reviews plans
that have gone into effect in several public jurisdictions. Particular
attention is given to the experience of police departments, where the four -
day, forty -hour week seems to be more co. -anon. The advantages and disad-
vantages of the four -day week are explored, and the report closes with an
evaluation of the outlook for adoption of these plans. An appendix gives
a "profile" of the features of plans adopted by a number of agencies, and
a bibliography provides leads for further study.
To all who see the four -day creek as a possibility for their agencies, we
commend careful study of this report.
Eugene F. Berrodin
Carmen D. Saso is a Research Associate on the staff of the
Public Personnel Association. Prior to joining the PPA
staff, she was employed by the Bureau of Governmen. Research
at the University of Massachusetts. She holds a Master of
Public Administration degree from the University of Michigan,
and a Bachelor's degree from the University of Southerp
Phillippines. bliss Saso is the author of •on•nn JUn. abl.ic
Employee Strikes as yell as of articles and. nrnographs in
various areas of public administration.
Contents
Thane God It's Thursday!
Four Day Week in the Public Sector
The Minnetonka Plan
The Atlanta Plan
The "Ten Plan" for Police Departments
Advantages of the 4 Day' Week
Some Problems and Reservations
What of the Future:
Appendix.
Bibliography
1
2
6
6
8,
10
13
i
4/�410: The F-Cl ar-Day Woos ivasIX
Thank God It's Thursday!
The 4-day week is no longer a figment of the imagination as TGIT (Thank
God It's Thursday!) is emerging as the new slogan of the world of work and lei-
sure. Labor fought the battle for the 5-day week. But it was management that
actually initiated the 4-day week in an effort to attract high caliber person-
nel, reduce absenteeism and increase productivity.
The 4-day week was almost unheard of five years ago. Today, there are
some 670 firms operating on the shorter workweek according to Riva Poor, editor
of the authoritative volume, 4 Days, 40 Hours. Prophets of the Era of Leisure
say the 4-day weak is coming sooner than we expect. But whether it will become
a national trend is the $64 question.
A social invention that is simply a reallocation of work hours from five
days to four (making the regular workday ten hours instead of eight), the 4-day,
40-hour week has been gaining adherents in the private sphere as well as in gov-
ernment jurisdictions. The big question that management is asking is whether
the surge will continue or eventually die down. Unions all over the country are
reportedly organizing an all-out campaign for the 4-day week by 1974. In real-
ity, the unions are less interested in the compressed workweek, but are shooting
for shorter working hours. It is possible that 4/40 could lead to 4/32.
Forty years ago, controversy raged over the proposed reduction to a 5-day
workweek. People were worried about whether it would work. Similar questions
are being asked about the 4-day week. Is it fatiguing? Will it encourage
moonlighting? What happens to production, gages and the morale of the employees?
The primary purpose of this report is to provide useful information about
this innovation to personnel officers. Data were collected from various sources
including both private and public organizations. A short questionnaire was sent
to public agencies that had adopted the 4-day week. The following information
summarizes the essential features of the 4-day movement and gives particular at-
tention to developments in the public service. A profile on public agencies
employing the 4--day week is included in an appendix.
'Four Day Week In ;public Sector
The development of the 4-day week occurred first in the private sector but
it has now spread to government agencies at every level. It is under discussion
for some civilian employees of the United Scates Army and for about 17,000 work-
ers of the headquarters of the Social Security Administration in Baltimore. In
the federal government, however, even initiation on an experimental basis re-
quires amendatory legislation providing for 10-hour days without overtime when
the total hours per week do not exceed 40.
- 1 -
PAY
::cairwhile, some ,jut .fictions includinn the states , 'California and Flor-
ida and the Cities of Honolulu and. Umaila have auLilvviaGu Lvc.Jiu3....iv,,
The Executive Department of the State of California has gone a step further by
presonting, a proposed statute to the state legislature which would authorize
the governor to make the nor msl workweek of state employees four days. It is
anticipated, nevertheless, that if the bill becomes law it may not apply to all
state employees since certain operations may not appropriately adept to such
sch^auling. In another development, employees of the County of San Diego may
note ns5otiate a 4-day, 40 hour .:crkweek J th county departments. This authori-
zation resulted from an employee poll where 56 per cent voted preference for
the shorter workweek. The program is now in effect in 11 county departments.
Precise data are riot avdil.able on the actual number of governmental juris-
dictions that have converted to the 4-day schedule. What is certain is that the
majority of the 4-Day Club members in the public service are law enforcement
agencies.
Pilot projects on the 4-day plan have been started in other municipal ser-
vices in addition to law enforcement. Atlanta, Georgia, has four city divisions
on the program. Participating employees in other areas include those in various
public works activities in Miami Beach and Miramar, Forida; Fort Worth, Texas;
Peoria, Illinois; Milwaukie, Oregon; and Chatham County, Georgia; as well as em-
ployees of the Finance Division of the Department of Parks and Recreation in the
state of Washington. The planning director of Lafayette, California, is the on-
ly employee of the city ilho decided to work four days each veelt.
Apparently, the shorter workweek has also made incursions in Canada. The
city of Edmonton, Alberta, had reported nine employees of its training and test-
ing division working 11-hour days and 3-day weeks from May to September, 1971.
Minnetonka, Minnesota is the only jurisdiction reporting that it has switched to
the 4-day arrangement on a city-wide scale. With the exception of employees in
the offices of the city manager, the city attorney and the inspection and survey
crests of the engineering department, 100 out of the city's 114 employees are in-
cluded in the program.
The Minnetonka Plan
Minnetonka is a suburb of Minneapolis and has a population of 35,776. Since
the city is not in a business district, its inhabitants would have to make spe-
cial trips for any transactions with city hall. This created another problem
when the city. hall closed at 4:30 p.m., the same time that most workers were al-
so off from their jobs in Minneapolis. Because of these difficulties, the city
manager reconraerded to the city council a 4/40 plan for city employees and 50-
hour service week to the community.
The plan provides for a workday from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., with a 30-minute
lunch break. The employees work four days and may'elect to have either Friday
or Monday off. Overtime is paid when employees are required to work more than
40 hours per week.
Extended services to �che community and longer weekends for the employees
are among the major benefits expected to be realized from the new schedule. Im-
proved efficiency may be reflected in the more systematic use of equipment and
in the reduction of overtime. A case in point relates to the use of the single
- a -
book:ccepin; machine in the finance department. Considerable conflict had occurred
ill the past concernin5 priority in using this equipment, and overtima was frequent-
ly required. Lengthening the ;:ork day and establ_shin3 4-day shifts could lessen
these problems.
A similar pattern of extended, services exists in other government agencies
observing the compressed workweek. Although the :workweek has been shortened for
the erimloyees, services to the community are still available under the tradition-
al 5-day coverage with two extra hours added every day. This has been made pos-
sible by scheduling half of the employees from Monday to Thursday and the other
half from Tuesday to Friday. In contrast, several private firms open only four
days a week while a few are also open seven days per week.
The A?lanta Plan
Atlanta's pilot program covers four divisions -- two staff and two line.
It was started on Tune 20 and will continue until December, 1971. At the end
of the 5-month trial period an examination of absenteeism, turnover, productiv-
itjr, costs and other relevant factors will be made with a view to continuing the
program, extending it to other divisions, or rever;,ing back to the traditional 5-
day schedule. Georgia Southern College may be requested to investigate the ef-
fects of added leisure time on employees.
By way of initiating the project, the mayor's office requested the opinions
and recommendations of department heads as to the feasibility of the 4-day, 40-
hour workweek in their departments and employees' preferences. Workers in 26
city agencies were surveyed with these results: 18 departments voted for the 4-
day week while 8 opposed. Those that were not in favor of the 4-day :week gave
as reasons the need for additional personnel, organizational problems, and the
loss of incentives in the case of sanitation department employees. Possible
conflicts were cited by the law department which is dependent upon court sched-
ules, and the building inspectors in the technical division who have to work
during the normal hours for building tradesmen.
The board of aldermen passed an ordinance permitting department heads to
establish a 4-day, 40-hour week in their departments. The department heads are
required to submit a written plan which will contain the specific unit to be
covered, the number of employees included, the shift schedules and the manner
in .which services are to be provided. Copies of the plan are to be furnished
the mayor, the personnel director and the director of finance. In addition., the
plan must be approved in writing by the mayor, the finance committee, the board
of aldermen, and the personnel department. Copies of the plan as approved must
then be Piled in the records of the finance cormtittee and the personnel board.
110 such plan could be put into effect without complying with all these proce-
dures. Finally, the following agencies were chosen for the pilot program: the
bridge division of the public works department, the data processing division of
the finance department, the housing code division of the building, inspectors
department, and the personnel department.
Of the 33 employees in the personnel department only one will continue work-
ing on the 5-day schedule. The staffs of the participating agencies have been
divided into three shifts and only one shift will be aiiay on any given day. The
scheduled off -days are Monday, Wednesday and Friday.. The off -days are rotated in
such a way that one shift will be off Monday of one week, Ulednesday of the next,
- 3 -
and Friday of the third • �k. This method of rotation v,`� provide employee., in
va,::h shirt an opportunit, Cor a 4-day veekenci on their t'ri,.rd wec :end.
Outlined below are the basic step; of the pro;Sram's timetable developed by
the eity's Administrative Office:
I. Mayor's recarnendation of ordinance to Board of Aldarmen.
(a) Authorizes pilot study.
(b) Alters code sections which set working hours, days and
overtime compensation.
(c) Authorizes a redefinition of calculations for sick leave,
vacation, increments, overtime, and holidays.
II. Arrange for Urban Observatory to assist the City in choosing
divisions to participate in the pilot project.
(a) Choosing of division.
(b) Establishing criteria for evaluation.
(c) bIonitoring aperations.
III. Examination of findings.
(a) Comparing productivity.
(b) Comparing absenteeism, turnover, etc.
(a) Surveying employee attitudes.
IV. Determination of direction.
Alternatives available include:
(a) Con',ivaing pilot project.
(b) Adding divisions to project.
(c) Returning pilot divisions to 5-day week.
The ":"en elan" for Police Departments
Lack of adequate manpower during peak crime and heavy workload periods is
a typical dilemma challenging law enforcement departments. The preferred solu-
tion- would be to hire more personnel but, unfortunately, the financial. pinch
currently felt by most local governments precludes this easy may out. One al-
ternative which would not leave a dent in the agencies' dwindling coffers would
be to reschedule the available work force to meet the critical areas of deploy-
ment and manpower utilisation. Thus, out of necessity evolved the city of
Huntington Beach "Ten Plan" which has become a prototype of the 4-day applica-
tion in police agencies.
Under the normal system of patrol deployment where each shift is on duty
for eight hours, large fluctuations of workload can occur in each shift. Using
the regular 8-hour day, 5-day week, it is difficult to schedule manpower to the
fluctuations in crime and workload over a 24-hour period without having too many
workers on duty during slow periods and too few when calls for service are high.
The answer conceived by the police department of Huntington Beach was' to abandon
the 8-hour shift and institute the 10-hour shift. The "Ten Flan" as it is now
called provides a duty week of four 10-hour days with three days off each week.
With each shift being ten hours long a total of 30 full duty hours are realized
for each 24-hour day. This means a 6-hour overlap each day and the prospect of
strengthening the patrol during those six hours.
- 4 -
Advocates of the "Ten P.Lan" assert that the secrat of its success lies in
wisely scheduling the 6-hour overlap during the nost critical periods of the
day. In Iuntington Reach, the rate of criminal occurrences was found to be
higher from 9 p.m. to 3 a.m. To Cetenaine which hours of the day were the most
critical, the police department of Tigard, Oregon, examilned its records going
back for a period of one full year. An hour -by -hour breakdown was compiled in-
dicating the following infonra^tion:
1. Times of occurrences of all major crimes.
2. Nimes of all nontraffic arrests.
3. Times of all traffic arrests.
4. Times of all traffic accidents.
S. Times of certain crimes like vandalism, drunkenness, etc.
6. All noncritical complaints and calls for service that required
in -person officer contact.
On the basis of this information a duty schedule was formulated comprising
three shifts, with the day shift scheduled from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., the evening
shift from 5 p.m. to 3. a.m. and the morning shift from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m.
In general, acceptance of the new deployment plan has been favorable. The
city of Huntington Beach reported these results after a 90-day trial period: 32
per cent reduction in response time on emergency calls, 38 per cent reduction in
response time on routine calls, 18.6 per cent increase on felony arrests, 55.28
per cent increase on misdemeanor arrests, 31.5 per cent increase in observations
by field officers, 47.8 par cent decrease in overtime pay for reports and late
calls, and a 20 per cent decrease of commercial burglaries during the graveyard
shift even though the work force was reduced by 30 ve:. cent after 3 a.m. In
vies of the increased morale among the personnel az,d the improved quality of
service to the community, the city decided to adopt the plan permanently as of
May, 1970.
A trial period and its subsequent evaluation axe essertia-1 before the "Ten
Flan" is established as standard. In order to evaluate the effectiveness of
its "Ten Plan" during the test period, the E1 Monte (California) police depart-
ment assembled pertinent data from a sample period and compared them with the
information gathered during the trial period. Comparisons were made in these
areas:
1. Number of called -for services by time of day. Called -for
services included all radio calls except back-up calls.
2. Response time by time of day.
(a) Time lapse from dispatcher's receipt of call until unit sent.
(b) Time lapse from unit's receipt of call until unit's arrival.
3. Number of reports taken by time of day.
4. Number of moving citations issued by time"of day.
- 5 -
rarsR ..
(a) By patrol units.
(b) By traUic units.
5. overtime hours.
(a) Court time.
(b) After shift.
o. iiiiles driver, per month by patrol units.
7. observations ride by time of day.
8. Arrests made by time of day.
(a) Felony.
(b) Misdemeanor.
9. Patrol time per 24-hour period.
Advantages of the 4-Day 'Week,
The 4-day work week can provide benefits for both management and labor.
The 27 firms studied by RLva Poor enumerated these advantages of switching to
a 4-day schedule: more incentive, better morale or better living conditions
for employees; reduction of labor costs; recruitment of better personnel; re-
duction of absenteeism, tardiness and turnover; and increased productivity.
Economist Paul Samuelson further stresses certain benefits to those who take
up the idea first.l In economic life, it sometimes pays to be different.
Officials of the city of Fort Worth, Texas hope to save around $700,000
annually from the budget of the sanitation department once the 4-day workweek
is in erfect. The city of Minnetonka estimates its greatest cost savings are
in public ti,orxs operations. By expanding the workday by two hours, machinery
and equipment needed on the job sites could be utilized longer, thus, offset-
ting travel time'necessary from the public works garage to the job sites arid
back. Savings on weed -cutting and street -cleaning are likewise expected to be
gained. In Mari Beach, the refuse division supervisor reports that efficiency
in his group is up 25 per cent and complaints on trash pickup have been reduced
considerably.
The ten hour per day schedules may enable police departments to better serve
the needs of the community. In the city of Tigard, a semiannual report on activ-
ity comparisons showing the first six months of 1971 versus the same period of
1970 summarizes the effectiveness of the plan as follows:
Biajor crimes cleared 1971 - 33 per cent 1970 - 15 per cent
Minor offenses cleared 68 per cent 45 per cent
Drunken driving arrests; up by 3cl per cent over the sav,F- pari.cd in 1970.
Police officers have generally favored the new plan.
Some 'Problerns and Reservations
Strong arguments against the 4-day week center around the possible ill
- 6 -
effecta of long shirts on the; health and welfare o; the employees and on procluc-
tivity in the long Mjr,. Of coarse, if the rearrarZed *.pork week finally evolves
into reduced crorki,ng hours, the first problem call be eliminated.
The implementation of the 4-day week may raise some legal questions in zany
jurisdictions. For e::ample, restrictions on ma;:imuir hours or nighv work for c,om-
en in some states :gill conflict vith the 10-hour day and call prevent the flexible
scheduling of shifts. Fiany of these protective lags have been voided by the Civil
Rizhts Act of 1964.
Concern for the vorkers' health and safety is reflected in federal and state
laws which require that certain workers receive pre:rium overtime pay after eight
hours of work a day. Because of the excessive costs of paying two hours of over-
titaa each day under the 4-day creek, a proposal has been considered by the U. S.
Department of Labor to drop the 8-hour requirement and compensate overtime only
after 40 hours a week.
Even though police employee organizations are generally pleased with the
shorter work week, scime of them are unhappy over the loss of overtime benefits.
One police officer urged a more careful evaluation of the 4-day week on this
basis. While the plan benefits the city financially, it could adversely affect
the employees' take-home pay through reductions in the customary off -duty court
time and overtime.
Another argument against the 4-day week is that claims of increases in
productivity and efficiency are short term and, therefore, can be misleading.
One of the factors credited for increased productivity is the ability of 4-day
firms to recruit and retain a superior labor force. Obviously, these gains
would dissipate if other agencies that compete in the same labor market also
changed to the 4-day week. A related concern involves the issue of absenteeism.
Once the novelty of the plan wears off, can it maintain a positive influence on
absenteeism and tardiness? The Home Savings Bank of Boston which went onto the
4-day schedule added a built-in insurance against absenteeism. It introduced an
annual bonus of $240 from which amount is deducted $20 for each day of absence.
It is interesting to note that one of the most vocal objectors to the 4-
day .,aek is the incumbent president of the United Autcmobile Workers of America
who asserts that shorter wort: weeks encourage moonlighting, thus giving two
jobs to some and none to others.
Computing time off, sick days and vacation, leave requires some special
adjustments under the 4-day creek. Under the 8-hour, 5-day schedule employees
earn on the average 10 days or two weeks of vacation each year. Under the 4-
day plan employees accrue 8 days of annual leave, also equivalent to tcro weeks.
To simplify matters, 4-day agencies converted vacation and sick leaves to hours
and thereby charged employees by the hour for each day of absence. Under the
4-day plan employees are charged 10 hours for each day of leave as against 8
hours •ender the 5-day plan. Whether this factor will prove a deterrent to un-
,:arran!.cd absences remains to be seen.
The latest snag in plans to implement a ^:-day week came with* the imposi-
tion of the cage -price freeze. The Cost of Living Council had ruled that
short.4n<xd work creeks which result in reduced wurr..ing hours without a corre-
sPOn-lil'23 seduction in pay violate the government's stabilization policies.
MW
• ri..-. r........ M 5-
An e :a3.oyer would be ,within the general wage �yuidelines if lie 5«�=�� ���•••
day, 0-hour week to a 4-day, s0-hour week :with no chin{;e in salaries. Thetis,
John pancock Mutual Life Insurance Company had to cancel its propased experi-
ment :o put some employees in its Boston Tdqaarters r35
,Iould. in effect fhave
hours instead of its present 372 hours. hechangeover
given the worker more pay for each hour worked.
'LVnat o; ins Future?
table? gnat are the implications for further re -
Is the 4-day Meek inevi
ductions of the work week?
Economists and sociologists foresee some changes in lng styles.rediscoveryThe
longer weekends could mean more time with the family.-- perhaps
of the family as a*unit, new hobbies and new uses of leisure. with commuting
time reduced by 20 per cent, people can afford to live farther from their jobs.
The exodus to the suburbs may intensify. The new age of increased leisure
could also herald a boom in recreation -related industries. Dr. Millard C.
Faugated the
hand simple waytoutaofathecAmerican rataracerk week and. 4-day weekend, and as a feasible as a
ble system. for
sane
the economy.2
Notwithstanding the fact that the compressed .cork week has been hailed as
the wave of the future, it is not a panacea. it is no remedy for poor person-
nel management. Caution is urged before adoption of a 4-day week. Some jobs
are better suited to this type of scheduling than are others. The Pocr study
shows that the 4-day plan has not woexted well in every case. The author at-
tributed this to lack of sound planning before conversion. Failure in other
instances has been due to serious management problems present in the firms.
The outlook for the 4-day week is summed up in a study by Janice reipert
Hedges, econo ist of Office of Economic and Social Research of the Bureau
He Labor conornStatistics.3 Mrs. Hedges made the following observations:
1. By m1d-year of 1971, there were over 600 firms offering part of
their employees some variation of the 4-day twork week. The pro-
gram covered approximately 75,000 workers out of a national labor
force of 83 million. ldost of the firms are in the Eastern and
Central states, are predominantly small manufacturing and service
firms, and are nonunion.
2. On the basis of numbers alone, the firms and employees involved
are too few and unrepresentative to presage any major trend.
3. Probably, the 4-day week will spread but it seems unlikely that
it will ever dominate work schedules to the same extent that the
5-day week has done for decades. It will become a characteristic
feature of the economy only if accompanied by a general reduction
of hours.
4. Support for this plan may shift. The original impetus cane from
small independent firms; bigger companies seem indifferent to the
idea although some car manufacturers have expressed interest by
authorizing feasibility projects. Understandably, the unions are
hostile toward the shorter work week's association :•:ith 10-hour
days without overtime. The unions' hard line could melt if the
4-day week vould ultimately lead to shorter working hours.
The BLS report did not deal with the status of the 4-day ::eek in govern-
ment. nationally, the majority of changeovers are still in an experimental
stage.
Numerous questions on the 4-day week arise to ::hich no definite answers are
presently available. One consultant has stated that there is still "gross igno-
rance of the power of this revolutionary technique in labor utilization." More
experience is needed to properly evaluate the effectiveness of the 4-clay :reek.
1Paul A Samuelson, "On the Four -Day Week," Plevsweek, Aiovember 10, 1970.
2 illazd C. Faught, Ph.D. Split Week Living. 3-Dad "41ork End" -- 4-Day
"Week End." Houston, Texas: TherDaVinci Press, 1969,
Chapter 1, pp. 1-19.
t Janice Neipert Hedges, "A Look at the A. -Day Worxweek," Monthly Labor levies;
i October, 1971, pp. 33-37.
i
- 9 -
E
Appendix
Profiles of Pablic Agencies Operating Under Shortened Workweek
' Classes of Employees, ' Days/Hrs. of '
Name of Jurisdiction ' Department ` IrLxmber ' Workweek ` Notes
California
State Civil Service
Baldwin Park
Bell Gardens
Chula Vista
Costa Mesa
El Monte
Huntington Beach
Lafayette
Las Angeles
Monterey Park
Mountain View
Pacifica
San Francisco
San Diego County
San Jose
South Gate
Franchise Tax Board) Electronic Data
Mental Hygiene) Processing
Police Field Personnel
Police Patrolmen
Police Patrolmen
Police 102
Police 40
Police 91, excl.Invest.Staff
& Communications
Planning Director
Hall of Records)
Statistics ) 31
Police
Police 21, excl.Detective
& Traffic Divisions
All office employees
Police
Assessor )
Auditor )
CAO-Civil Defense )
County Clerk )
EDP Services )
Honor Camps )
Parks & Recreation )
Personnel )
Public Health )
Sheriff )
Public Administrator)
Police
Police Uniformed Divisions
4/40
4/40
4/40 Effective since July, 1970.('*';
4/40
4/40
4/40
4/40
4/40 Available to other employees.
4/40
4/40
4/40
4•1/373 Police Dept. to go on Ten Plan.
4�40 Can go into effect at option
of force.
4/40 is basic workweek for these de-
partments except Public Administrator'- —
Office which has alternating schedule
of 5-day, 45 hour week for one .eek of
pay period, followed by 4-day, 55 hour
week of second week of pay period.
Half of staff works a 45-hour week and
other half 35-hour week each week on
alternating schedules.
4/40
4/40
' Classes of Employees,
Days firs. cf '
P1ame of Jurisdiction
' Department ' Number '
Workweek
Notes
Colorado
Vail
Police
4/40
District of Columbia
Police 300, 3rd District
4/40
Exploratory pilot project.
Florida
Clearwater
Police
4/40
Dropped after trial period.-
Miami Beach
Public Works 30, T:'ash & Crane Crews
4/40
Miramar
Parks & Recreation ) Beach Patrol
Other city employees)
4/40
Wiiton Manors
Police
4/40
Georgia
' Atlanta
Personnel ) 32
5-month experiment.
r
Public Works, Bridge Div.) 38
Finance ) 26
Bldg.Insp.) 43
4/40
Chatham County
Roads Drainage & Maintenance
4%40
Illinois
Cook County
Sheriff Homewood Station
4/40
`.
Peoria
Public Services Street -Cleaning Crews
3/36
Worth
Police Patrolmen
4140
Michigan
Grand haven
Police 8
4/40
Cut workweek from 42 to 40.
Grand Rapids
Police
4/40
Effective October, 1971.
Minnesota
Minnetonka
City Depts. 100
4/40
Nevada
Las Vegas
Police
4/40
Classes of Employees, '
Days/Hrs. of
Name of Jurisdiction
' Department '
Number '
Workweek
' Notes
North Carolina
Durham
Sanitation
Refuse Collectors
4/40
Schedule practised for years.
Ohio
Cleveland
Health )
4/40
Implemented as fiscal mea-
'
Recreation)
sure. Employees paid only
Sanitation)
for four days per week.
Medina
Police
Excl. Chief
4/40
'
Oregon
'Beav=-ton
Police
4/40
Milwaukie
Public Works
17, Field Personnel
36
Negotiated with empl, assn.
Tigard
Police
18
4/40
i
ro Tennessee
�. Memphis
Police
Field Personnel
City Shops)
Mechanics
Texas
Fort Worth
Sanitation
Muse Collectors
4/40
Effective October, 1971.
Washington
r
State Govt.
Parks & Recreation, Finance Div.
4/40
Yakima
Police
Field Personnel
4/40
`
West Virginia
Huntington
Police
4/40
Due to breakdown in internal
communication, plan was dropped
Canada
Edmonton, Alberta
Personnel
9, Training & Testing
3/33
x Management and the employees
were happy with the project but lack of supervisory manpower and cruisers
for one-man patrol created
some problems.
Bibliography
Books and Periodicals
B_ndiner, Robert. "Could You Stand a Four -Day Sleek?" The Reporter
(August 8, 1957), pp. 10-13.
Bolton, J. Harvey. Flexible ?•forking Hours, London: Anbar Publications
Ltd., 1971, 54 D.
Botwri.ght, Ken. "The 4-Day Work Week Is Spreading," Chicago Sun -Times
Sunday L'apazine (July 11, 1971), p. 8.
Coughlin, Howard. "The Four -Day Office Week," Personnel (May -June,
1971)2 pp. 46-50.
Crawford, James F., William T. Rutherford and Donald P. Crane. "On the
4 Day Work Week, the Atlanta Experience -- an Interim
Report," Atlanta Economic Review (September, 1971),
pp. 4-7.
Cross, Wilbur. "The Four -Day Worst Week Is Coming Sooner Than You Think,"
Business Management (April, 1971), pp. 14-16.
Darby, Edwin. "Absenteeism Declines, the Four -Day Week Works," Chicago
Sun -Times Sunday Magazine (June 13, 1971), p. 97.
Drouin, Pierre. "Is Worshiping Work Worth It?" Globe Mail (August 3, 1971).
Faught, Millard C., Ph.D. Split -Meek Living, 3-Day ":fork End" -- 4-Day
"Ileek End." Houston, Texas: The DaVinci Press, 1969,
72 p.
"4-Day Week -- Is It Workable?" Viewpoint Section vith contributions by
William C. Harsh, Jr., "Plan Gains Favor Here"; Riva
Poor, "An Idea Catches On"; and Arnold Toynbee, "Work
ej an Escape -- Is There a Substitute?" Chicago Sun -
Times Sunday Magazine (October 31, 1971), pp. 1-3.
"Four -Day Work Week Feasible for Hospitals?" American Mental Health
Association newsletter (February, 1971 , p. 3.
Gallup, George. "Gallup Poll: Men Favor, Women Oppose 4-Day, 40-Hour Week,"
Chicago Sun -Times (March 25, 1971), p. 67.
Hausner, L. "Shortcut! Four -Day Workweek Draws Mostly Praise," Chicago
Daily News (May 15, 1971).
Hedges, Janice neipert. "A Look at the 4-Day tlorkveek," Monthly Labor
Review (October, 1971), pp. 33-37.
Leud s, Albert. "4 Days, 40 Hours, Pioneering a Afew Concept," Outlook
(May, 1971), pp. 4-5.
- 13 -
Q
A
r-w,
Martin: Keil A. "Soma fx'-s4;vs.4ons About the Four -Day Wee,.," Condensed from
121'S, July, 1971, Dun and Bradstreet Publications,
Mana�,;e.,:ent Rsvaew (Scp'.a,aber, 1971), pp. 59-61.
Matsnsalu, Taimi and. Go_aon F. Harrison. "The Shortened ;cork ileah Canadian
Trend or a ?ad?" The Canadian Personnel (11ovembor, 1971),
pp. 17 -23.• —
Poor, viva. 4 Days, 40 Houcs, Cambridge, Massachusetts: Bursk and Poor
Publishing, 1970, 175 pp.
"The Pros and Cons of Four -Day Week," Association Management (July, 1971),
P. 59.
"Reshaping the Worlweek," Association Management (July, 3.971), pp. 58-61.
Robitaille, Earle W. "'Ten Flan' Adopted by Huntington Beach Police
Department," Western City (December, 1970), p. 19.
Samuels, Gertrude. "Thank God It's Thursday! CominZ. Soon? The Four -Day
I -leek" The Vew York Times Magazine (May 16, 1971),
PP. 32-34+.
Seligman, Daniel. "The Four -Day Week: How Soon?" Fortune (July, 1954),
pp. 81-83 t-.
Walters, Roy 1-1. "A Long Term Look at the Shorter Work Week," The Personnel
Administrator (July -August, 1971) pp. 12-14.
F:hisenand, Paul and others. "The 4-Day Workweek in Law Enforcement,"
Management Information Service (September, 1971),
entire issue.
Wittrr n, John. "Tile Compressed Workweek: More Questions Than Answers,"
Manpower.(July, 1971) pp. 18-19.
Government Documents
Atlanta, Georgia. An Ordinance Authorizing Department Heads of the Clty of
Atlanta to Establish Four -Day, Forty -Hour Work Weeks within
Their Departments, Prescribing the Procedures Therefor, and
Modifying Certain Existing Ordinances so as to Permit the
Operation of a, Four -Day, Forty -Flour Work Week on an Equitable
Basis. Passed July 6, 1971.
Pilot Study of the Four -Day, =0 Hour Week, K:,morandum to the
City i iayor by the Chip£ Adrain17Gative Ofhcer, June 17, 1971.
Proposed plans submitted by the participating divisions:
Bridge Division, Public tlorks Department; Data Processing
Division, Finance Department; Personnel Department, and'
the Housing Code Division of the Department of Inspector
of Buildings.
- 14 -
AW
California State Legislature. Asscsioly Bill IIa. 1010, an Act to odd Section
18020.1 to tha Government Code, relating to the wort{ -Meek
of state employees. Filed March 18, 1971.
California State Personnel Board. Staff Peport on Four-Dav- -- Ten -Hour Vlore
Sleek. Memorandum to the Executive Officer, June 23, 1971.
Costa P-iesa, California, Police Department. Ten Hour Shifts, Four Dayjj: ,
memorandum from the Office o`,' the Chief of Police, June 24,
1971.
District of Columbia, Metropolitan Police Department. Pilot Project in the
Thiixl District to Evaluate the Feasibility of Working as
Ten-hour DD, four -Day Week. Memorandum from the Chief
of Police, July 12, 1971;
E1 Monte, California, Police Department. Description and Evaluation of men
Plan During Test Period.
Fort Worth, Texas. Sanitation Division: Proposed Four-DRa Week, Cost
Reductions and Alley Refuse Collection, Informal
Report to City Council Members, No. 1956, September
2, 1971.
Grand Haven, Michigan, Police Department. The Ten -Plan for the Grand Haven
City Police Department, (description of working plan .
Huntington Beach, California, Police Department. Ten Hour Shift Study.
Report by Earle W. Robitaille, Chief of Police, in
answer to questions most often asked about the
Huntington Beach Ten Plan.
Milwaukie, Oregon. 1971-72 Work and Salary Agreement for Milwaukie Employees
Association, Public Works - Field Section providing, among
others, a 4-day, 9-hour work week of 36 hours commencing
July 1, 1971 through Jane 30, 1972). Signed April 6, 1971.
Minnetonka, Minnesota. 50 Hour Week, Memorandum to the Mayor and Members of
the City Council from the City Manager, June 28, 1971.
Mountain View, California, Police Department. Four Day Week -- Ten Hour Shift.
Report by the Chief of Police, April 14, 1971.
San Jose, California. 0rrdinance No. 15332, an emergency ordinance of the City ,
of San Jose amending Section 2036.2 of Topic 2, Part 3,
Chapter I of Article II of the. San Jose Municipal Code to
amend the definition of overtime hours worked as it applies
to employees of the Police Department assigned to 10-hour
shifts, and stating the reasons constituting such emergency.
Passed September 8, 1970.
Tigard, Oregon, Police Department. Activity Co=arisons -- Semi -Annual Report
on Ten -Plan (first 6 months of 1971 vs. same period of 1970).
Report by the Executive Officer, July 22, 1971.
z''A
V EXHIBIT 2
" A DESIGN FOR ACTION TO IMPLEMENT THE FOUR -DAY WORKWEEK IN LOCAL GOVERNMENT"
THE FOUR -DAY WORKWEEK : A LOCAL GOVERNMENT PERSPECTIVE
June, 1972
$3.00
The Institute for Local Self Government
Claremont Hotel Building
Berkeley, California 94705
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .. .
I
5
CHAPTER ONE .
Organized Labor Viewpoint . . . . . . . . .
8
What The City Can Achieve . . . . . . . . . . . . .
9
Employee Advantages and Disadvantages . . . .
13
Moonlighting . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
15 '
CHAPTER TWO . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
27
Relationship Between Four -Day and Productivity .
27
Absenteeism . . . . . . . .
29
Holidays, Sick Leave, Vacations, Overtime
32
Four -day and Transportation . . . . . . . . .
34
Conversion On a Gradual Basis . . . . . . . . . . .
38
CHAPTER THREE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
40
Information Program For Employees . . . . . . . . .
40
Alternatives to Four -Day . . . . . . . . . . . . .
40
Need for Additional Research . . . . . . . . . . . .
42
Procpectus for Research . . . . . . . . . . . .
44
APPENDIX A (Orange County Memos -Personnel Dept.) . . . . . .
48
APPENDIX ➢ (Police Depts. in California on Four -Day) . . . .
57
APPENDIX C (Proposed Work Schedules, Four -day, 373 Hour).
59
APPENDIX D (Ordinance, City of Atlanta) . . . . . . . . . .
62
BIBLIOGRAPHY . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
68
ii
0
i
PREFACE
Local government is continuously exploring inrovative programs and
ideas to improve services and employees' working conditions. These programs
necessarily have to keep within the limits of tight budgets and insufficient
sources of local revenue. These constraints tax the ingenuity and imagination
of local government administrators.
The Civil Service Commission of Oakland has recently considered the
feasibility of a far-reaching change : the four -day workweek. Still in its
rudimentary stage, four -day has caught the imagination of public and private
employers throughout the country. Following these trends and applying them to
local government public Pervice is not an easy task. Oakland's research, however,
is generally applicable to all local government jurisdictions and provides the
basis for policy and administrative considerations elsewhere.
The Institute for Local Self Government has peripherally assisted
Oakland's effort and this publication is largely based on the work and writings
of James M. Newman, Personnel Director of Oakland and Henry L. Gardner, Assistant
Administrative Analyst. The Board of Directors of the Institute hereby expresses
its appreciation to them for making available the research and data which they
have prepared so that all local governments can benefit from their research to
"promote and strengthen the institutions and processes of local self- government."
Secretary of Labor, James D. Hodgson, in his May 23, 1972, speech to the
Conference Board cited figures showing that government today is the nation's
biggest business, employing 13 million men and women at the federal, state and
local levels. Ten years ago, he said, the annual cost of all governmental &.)ods
and services was $108 billion, but today it has more than doubled to $233 billion.
That part of the nation's gross national product devoted to government "is a
iii
staggering 22%," he said. Taxpayers, Mr. Hodgson observed, are increasingly
shouting "no" to higher taxes. In this situation, he observed, it is imperative
for government to improve productivity and to find ways to make more efficient
use of manpower, equipment and facilities.
Four -day offers possibilities for achieving those goals.
The matter is particularly relevant in California which ranks first in
total number of State and local government employment. We have (full or part-
time basis) 1,098,384 such employees --- 237,501 working for the State and
860,883 working for local governments; or an average of 96.3 State employees
per 10,000 population and 355.7 local government employees per 10,000 population.
Local government payrolls in California now average $654 million per month with
the average salary for non -education employees now at about $900 per month.
This publication is intended to provide: (1) a preliminary inquiry or
overview raising the pertinent questions for local policy -makers and adminis-
trators; (2) an experimental design to test four-day's feasibility with specific
application to local government; and, (3) a report on full implementation of obser-
vations and evaluations. No template conclusions for any jurisdiction are reached
since the study was perceived as a preliminary investigation. Pending obser-
vations and evaluations based on an actual full-blown experiment with four -day,
conclusions would be premature.
On the basis of all available evidence, however, a four -day workweek
appears to offer a possible way to meet the mounting citizen demand of providing ad-
ditional hours of accessibility to local government personnel and processes while
simultaneously providing more leisure hours and, hopefully, greater productivity
for public employees. Beyond that, there is little that -sin be said to be con-
clusive at this stage. At worst, four -day may prove to be unworkable, providing
iv
the local government with no additional benefits; or, it may be the best possible
arrangement for .improved service delivery to the public and increased employee
morale. Certainly, however, the work of Neuman and Gardner deserves serious
and thoughtful study by those interested in the improvement of local government.
Berkeley, California
June, 1972
v
Randy H. Hamilton
Executive Director
INTRODUCTION
Definition of Four -Day Workweek
Thus far, reference has been made to four -day without defining the
arrangement as it applies to local government. There are many variations of
four -day: (1) the organization operates only four days per week -- Monday
through Thursday; (2) four days per week -- Tuesday through Friday; (3) four
days per week -- Thursday through Sunday; (4) five days per week, but each
employee works only four days, and many others. When applied to cities and
counties, four -day will generally be used to mean that ci`y and county offices
will be opened five days per week, Monday through Friday, and that employees
will work four days per week, typically Monday through Thursday or Tuesday
through Friday, 37k hours per week. There will be other variations for person-
nel who do not work presently the normal work schedule, but for the sake of
brevity and clarity the definition will apply unless otherwise indicated in
the text.
The wage: -leisure preference theory has not yet been convincingly
substantiated by empirical evidence, but management around the country in some
private businesses and a few public jurisdictions has reached its own con-
clusions: when wages are held constant and working hours are compressed into a
four -day workweek -- to give employees longer blocks of leisure -- morale will
be greatly improved, productivity will increase, tardiness and absenteeism will
decline, job recruiting will become significantly easier, and the needs and
desires of both management and employee will be better fulfilled.
Management did not offer employees the alternative of increased income '
-I-
at present hours of work or reduced hours of work for present income. Thic
issue was sidestepped entirely by keeping the total hours per week constant
in most cases, by maintaining the same level of income, but by use of the four -
day workweek providing longer blocks of leisure at a savings to business and
labor.
So far employees' acceptance has been overwhelming. The concept is
an interesting one, so interesting that the number of companies now experimenting
with some version of the four -day workweek arrangement swells daily. Some see
the concept as revolutionairy,destined to sweep the country. I/ The practice is
a new phenomenon with scores of unknowns.
r
a
iThis publication is primarily concerned with some immediate as well as
some larger and long-range implications of this idea for local government. Ex-
tant research does not provide the answers nor the direction for the penetrating
analysis needed for determining the feasibility and desirability of implementation
kof four -day, and vital data applicable to local government are conspicuously lack-
ing. City and county government are uniquely able to provide needed information
on problems of implementation of four -day because of the diversity of their
functions and services.
t ,
This short study may raise more questions than it answers. It deals
with a number of matters that may appear alien to the specific problems of local
government, but in the Institute tradition of being on the "cutting edge'! of new
ideas in public administration, it airs factors that will directly or indirectly
determine the feasibility of the four -day workweek. Each city or county can then
apply the facts to its situation in assessing ability to successfully implement
1/ Riva Poor, ed., 4 Days, 40 Hours: Report-inReport-ing a Revolution in Work and Leisure
(Cambridge, Mass.: Bursk and Poor Publishing, 1970 .
the conversion.
This scudy is grounded on the assumptions (1) that a four -day work-
week is compatible with the present quantity and quality of job performance
rendered by employees (supported in part by the experiences of those already on
four -day), (2) that such a conversion is favorable to the majority of the
employees (easily verif iable), (3) that the change will be a savings to employees
and possibly to the city or county, 2/ (4) and that by adopting. the four -day
workweek the total number of hours that local government services will be
available, will be increased by eight and one half (82), or one full working
day. These assumptions are tested in the later text.
After surveying the literature and studying the plans already adopted
by private companies and public agencies, it would seem both desirable and i
feasible for cities and counties to seriously consider the four -day workweek. t
Such consideration should not be cast as a popular and novel experiment, but
as a progressive step toward providing convenient hours for the public to transact s
business with cities and counties and for providing employees with more leisure
or free time.
Ten major aspects of the problem are dealt with in these pages:
(I) what can be achieved for the city or county by adopting a four -day workweek;
(2) advantages and disadvantages to employees; (3) the possibility of supple-
mentary employment (moonlighting) and the consequences of job performance;
(4) the relationship between four -day and productivity; (5) holidays, sick leave,
vacations and overtime; (6) four -day workweek and transportation; (7) conversion
on a gradual basis; (8) an information program for employees; and (9) alternatives
2/ It is projected that in no case will the conversion result in additional
cost to the city.
-3-
to the four -day workweek. There is also (10) a short commentary on the,long-
range impact on society if four -day becomes universal, a brief discussion of
the literature, and a prospectus for research.
It is a relatively simple task to mechanically design a four -day work
schedule. It is quite another matter to devise a work schedule that is workable,
i.e., one that takes into account the nature of the work, the hours to which
employees are accustomed, equal distribution in sharing work responsibilities,
utilization of capital equipment, car pool problems, conflict with family
activities, and many more. This study was made with those factors in mind, so
that local legislators and administrators can have the basis for reasoned, informed
judgment.
Some city or county departments have unique situations that will not
permit an easy transition because of the nature of the work or the inflexibility
of sharing work responsibility. To make the conversion a success, it is necessary
for each department to study its needs, manpower, and current work schedules to
best determine which, if any, of its employees can feasibly be placed on four -day.
Departmental conditions are but one of the major considerations that demand a
r
conversion based on a rigorous and solid study on a department -by department
basis, with the active participation of supervisors and subordinates. By in-
corporating wider participation in the decision -making process, the conversion
should circumvent most of the Froblems and unexpectancies experienced by other
companies,. In the main, participation is more apt to generate employee enthusi-
asm before the plan is implemented. For this reason, all information and
suggestions before this stage should indeed be considered preliminary.
-4-
CHAPTER ONE
Riva Poor's 1970 book, 4 Days, 40 Hours, is the first, and to date
remains the only, comprehensive study of the four -day practice. Her analysis
of the companies experimenting with four -day provides the basis for the discussion
below. When it was published only about thirty companies were known to be experi-
menting with four -day. "...greater efficiency and productivity, lower employee
turnover, improved morale, less Friday absenteeism and a bigger selection of job
applicants" have as of mid 1971 "prompted more than 1,400 concerns in all fifty
states to adopt some form of the 35 or 40 hour, three or four day work week." 3/
While there are companies on four -day now that are larger and more diversified
than those in the vanguard, the first twenty-seven companies offer some insight
into the growth and pattern of the development.
Most of the companies surveyed by Riva Poor, a Cambridge, Massachusetts,
publisher are on the East Coast; two are in California. Most of the firms are
small; nineteen of twenty-seven have fewer than 150 employees. The firms include
manufacture, service, retail, and wholesale. 4/ Recently, large organizations
such as Sealtest, Lipton Tea, Samsonite and General Foods have switched to four -
day for all or a major share of their employees.
Note that one of the greatest improvements was the decrease in absenteeism, ,
which was not a paramount factor in determining the change; and, is also a variable
for measuring the success of four -day that is directly applicable to local govern-
ment. 5/ One of the most frequently asked questions by local government officials
3/ Malcolm, Andrew H., "More U. S. Companies Reducing Workers' Boredom," The New
York Times, May 15, 1972, p. 53.
4/ Poor, op. cit., pp. 23-25.
5/ "Small Business Eyes the Four -Day Workweek," Harvard Business Review (May -June
1970), p. 143.
' -5-
1/ 1
I
is: Why did employers choose the four••day workweek schedule and with what
results? The table below shows that information:
TABLE OF PURPOSES AND RESULTS 6/
Purpose
Results
on 4-Day
Performance Categories for
4-Day
Better Same
Worse Total
LABOR FACTORS
Absenteeism
4
15
2
0
17
Benefit or Incentive
19
17
4
1
22
Costs
7
9
4
3
16
Overtime
2
4
1
1
6
Recruitment: more
8
12
2
0
14
Recruitment: better
5
'9
4
0
13
Tardiness
2
5
7
1
13
Turnover
2
6
3
0
9
? Total
i
49
77
27
6
110
NON -LABOR FACTORS
? Costs
4
3
0
0
3
Customer Service
1
7
6
3
16
Ease of Scheduling
0
0
4
12
16
Flexible Scheduling
0
4
0
0
4
Production Casts
4
10
3
1
14
Profits on Sales
2
8
3
0
11
Output
5
12
6
0
18
Throughput
3
3
0
0
3
Sales Promotion
3
1
0
2
3,
Total
22
48
22
18
88
The greatest improvement
was made in the morale
of employees,
a less
precise and more difficult variable
to measure.
Some other factors,
such as
production costs, profits on sales,
and
sales promotions
are not related to the
operations of local government. Other factors are, such as: public
opinion,
6/ Ibid., p. 31. Explanatory notes from the original have been omitted.
-6-
higher service levels, increased efficiency, more convenient hours for the public;
these are discussed later in this publication.
According to Poor's study, interviews with management and employees
revealed that there was much enthusiasm and satisfaction with the four -day
arrangement. Commenting on the general results, Kenneth E. Wheeler observed:
... Conversion has meant rapid and d-amatic decreases in
absenteeism, turnover, recruitment acs,ivity and expense,
and payroll for overtime.... The practical and psycho-
logical comfort of the extra day off is mainly responsi-
ble for the drop in all but one of these areas; the drop
in overtime payroll is a result of better scheduling and
of increases in production efficiency .... 7/
There were some drawbacks, however, and in fact, a few companies discontinued
,1
the experiment. Some employees experienced fatigue, supervisors and managers
discovered an increase in their workloads, some companies encountered diffi-
culties in scheduling and shipping, and some employees found the four -day
schedule incompatible with their family activities.
t
It is obvious from the foregoing discussion that there are many more
questions that need answering than the ones presented by these early studies and
experiments, particularly as they apply to local government. More attecckion
needs to be given to long-range consequences and impact.
Police departments, particularly in California, have been the most
active recent experimenters with four -day in local government. 8/ The emergence
of city government into the four -day arena has been slow. The City of Atlanta
is probably the only major city that has implemented four -day. The City of Los {
Angeles is presently considering the four -day concept. If the four -day
7/ "Small Business Eyes the Four -Day Workweek," Harvard Business Review
'- (May -June 1970), p. 143.
8/ See Appendix B for a list of police departments on four -day in California.
Because of the unique nature of the police and fire departments, they are
treated in this paper only peripherally. A more exhaustive examination is
currently being conducted by the Oakland Police Department.
-7-
�P3
arrangement continues to grow, more data on local governments are certainly to
b•a forthcoming.
Organized Labor Viewpoint
Unlike many benefits welcomed by employee organizations, four -day has
almost universally originated with management. The automobile industry is the
single notable exception, and to date it has not yet been implemented. 9/ The
reasons for labors silence or lack of enthusiasm, and in some cases opposition,
have been numerous and varied. Some labor leaders view four -days, 40 hours, or
four days and any number of hours over eight per day as a retrogressive rather
than a progressive development. 10/ One of organized labor's greatest achieve-
ments has been the shorter work -day. Much of their argument was based on negative
consequences from a prolonged working day. Although four -day would provide longer
blocks of leisure, organized labor finds the arrangement contradictory to the
arguments used to establish the present 8-hour norm. Another source of discon-
tent with labor is the absence of overtime pry for all work in excess of eight
hours per day, which has not uniformly been the practice. Labor has also sug-
gested that if no overtime pay is made for all work in excess of eight hours per
day,the schedule should be 4-32. Of course this has not been acceptable to man-
agement because it would mean an automatic pay raise of 20 percent. Finall7, there
seems to be the all -pervasive distrust of any major improvement to labor initiated
by management. Most of the companies on four -day are non -unionized and therefore
were not confronted with union opposition.'
9/ Aviation Week and Space Technology, March 29, 1971, p. 22; Business Week,
March 13, 1971, p. 108.
1O/ Business Week, Ibid., pp. 108-109.
-8-
i
Another argument by organized labor, and perhaps equally forecful, is
that on the positive side, shorter hours per week and even four days per week
will result in more jobs. This publication is not directed to the four-day/un-
employment dichotomy, but brief comment is in order. To date union leaders
stand almost alone in the claim that a reduction in hours will result in more
jobs, and thereby at least ameliorate unemployment. The argument has been
soundly rejected by eminent economists. The theory is an interesting one, but
fails to stand up under close scrutiny. There is no available evidence to sub- ;
stantiate the claim that by reducing the working hours from 40 to 37k or from
q ,
37z to 36 any significant number of jobs would be created. Moreover, it is
questionable to assume that if the present work force maintains its current level
of productivity under a slight decrease in hours worked, the "extra money" will
be put into more jobs. Corporate management may decide to engage some of ita
present worx force in overtime, even at punitive overtime premiums rather than
hire inexperienced personnel who will, cost them !van more in fringe benefits.
Much research is needed before drawing any valid conclusions for the public sector,
but at present it is very doubtful that a slight reduction in work hours or a
conversion to four -day will create the kind of employment hopefully foreseen by
organized labor. 11/
What the City or County Can Achieve
Whatever the potentialities are for successful implementation of a
four -day workweek, the probability of success is directly proportionate to the
degree and amount of careful and detailed pre -planning. Whether this phase pre-
cedes, becomes a part of, or follows a feasibility study, the Institute believes
11/ See "Automation, Unemployment, and Shorter Hours," by Clyde E. Dankert in
Uours of Work, Dankert at. al., op. cit.
-9-
it to be an indispensable prerequisite to successful implementation. Planning
and orientation follow as a logical sequence to a feasibility study, which will
in part have to be determined through experimentation. 12/ The more thorough and
comprehensive the planning, the greater the probability of realizing intended
results.
Basically, the city or county can anticipate two major improvements:
(1) additional hours of service to the public, and (2) social improvement for
employees by providing longer periods of leisure and/or free time. Underlying
both of these elements is the proposition that (a) these results can be achieved
at no additional cost, and possibly a savings; (b) the current level of produc-
tivity will remain the same, if not increase; and (c) the public would be better
served.
Compressing five dayst working hours into four days will obviously
result in longer working hours per day, which means the city hall or county -court-
house will be open to the public more hours per day. Under the present work
schedule most local government office personnel are simply not available to a
public whose own working hours are 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.
On a four -day workweek city hall or the courthouse could be open to the
public from 7:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on Mondays and Fridays, and 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays. Employees would work until 6:00 p.m. on
either Monday or Friday and would work this longer day closest to their blocked
leisure hours, i.e., if they work until 6:00 p.m. on Monday they have just re-
turned from three-day weekend, and if the work until 6:00 p.m. on Friday they will
then begin their three-day weekend. This will have the effect of not making
Monday and Friday excessively long for the employee. This schedule is based on a
lunch hour of forty-five minutes. Appendix C shows
12/ See comments in the following text on need for additional and continuing
research
-10-
r--
some proposed work schedules for employees working 37h hours per week. Part-
time employees have been excluded from consideration, and employees who work
forty hours per week and on days other than Monday through Frid--y will eiven
thorough examination in a proposed experimental stage. 13/
The need for providing additional hours to the public has been clearly
and succinctly stated by the City Manager of Minnetonka, Minnesota:
How often a citizen has rushed from work wanting to
transact business with his City government but found
the doors of the City Hall locked and offices closed.
It was not a holiday but a regular work day... There
were times when I left the office as late as 6:00 p.m.
and have encountered people wanting to visit one of
the City Hall offices ....
There are various ways we could provide additional
office hours for the convenience of our citizens. One
way is to have office hours on Saturday. However, most
employees would be reluctant to work on Saturday and it
would be necessary to give them overtime pay. Another
consideration is to open City Hall offices one or two
evenings a week to 8:00 or 9:00 p.m. But the same
difficulties in having Saturday office hours are again
encountered, that is, overtime cost and the availability
of personnel. A third possibility, the one suggested
and supported in this memorandum, provides 10 additional
office hours a week, two additional hours a day, of
service to the community. 14/
Heinrich went on to point out that the two principal advantages to the City were
expansion of services to the community and an increase in the morale and produc-
tivity of the employees. A third and related advantage was increased efficiency
in departmental operations. 15/
The Atlanta experiment was implemented by the Mayor and the Board of
Aldermen in an effort to improve efficiency of City operations and to promote
13/ See comments under proposed research.
14/ R. P. Heinrich, 1150-Hour Week," Memorandum from the City Manager of
Minnetonka, Minnesota to the Mayor and City Council, June 28, 1971.
15/ !bid.
-11-
?IN-,
the general welfare of the employees. 16/ Conclusions on the Atlanta ex-
periment have not yet been formulated, but reports to date are highly favorable.
Both Minnetonka and Atlanta are on 4-40 workweeks; their workdays are
10 hours; a typical California local government would be about 9k, with the
exception of some field personnel.
The question of whether or not a four -day workweek will promote the
best interests of the employees can most accurately be measured by asking the
employees, particularly after the plan has been tried. Existing data as to
what extent employees' interests are best served as a result of four -day are
insufficient for valid conclusions. However, we do know there is a strong,
nationwide desire for additional leisure at no loss in pay. This makes the
assumptions compelling. During an experimental study, ceteris paribus, this
question can be answered with more conviction and substantiation.
At no point during this analysis of the feasibility of a four -day
workweek could there be -found any indication that the conversion would -result in
additional cost to the city or count. Rather than increasing costs fo: salaries, ;
,
the evidence suggests that costs will decline as the need for overtime drops, and
as fired -cost capital -intensive plant and equipment is used more efficiently.
In those departments that normally use large chunks of overtime for
processing license renewal-, voter registrations and balloting, and making visits
to citizens' homes after normal working hours, overtime could be virtually elimi-
nated.
In those offices where contacts are frequent with the public, the
16/ James F. Crawford, William T. Rutherford, and Donald P. Crane, "The Four -
Day Work Week: The Atlanta Experience -- an Interim Report," City of
Atlanta, Atlanta, Georgia, n.d.
-12-
y
additional hours may allow more time for uninterrupted work, and reduce the
need to work overtime to catch up.
How citizens will respond to new hours is a virtual unknown. Their
judgment about four -day will probably rest on whether they see the schedule as
providing them with additional and more efficient service, or simply as an un-
warranted benefit to their public servants. Negative reactions are not likely
to occur if the public is well informed of the mutual benefits. A positive
program of public information should precede installation of the plan, tapering
off about 60 days after "D-day."
Advantages and Disadvantages to the F.inployee
Depending upon family responsibilities and social and community activ-
ities the advantages of a three-day weekend could be enormous for many employees.
A universal advantage will be a 20 percent weekly reduction in cost for transpor-
tation, a reduction in lunch expenses, and for some, one day's savings for baby-
sitting. Since a revised working schedule will require reporting to work and
leaving work during non -rush hours, there will be a savings in the time required
for travel for each of the four working days, plus the fifth day where no travel
is required. Perhaps the most salient feature of all is that these savings may
be regarded as a non-taxable pay increase.
It is primarily cities that suffer the brunt of tangled traffic and
since most local legislators cry out for "solutions," four -day gives them an
opportunity to practice what they preach to commerce and industry about "staggered
work hours" to relieve traffic congestion.
The three-day weekend allows employees to transact business with com-
panies and agencies that are not open on Saturdays and Sundays, and eliminates the
need for reporting to be sick in order to take a day off to attend to personal
matters or to take an extended weekend. The opportunities for recreational
-13-
—_I ello�
activities and travel are unlimited. Many will discover museums, parks, and
historical sites that they have never known to exist. There will be an extra
day for housework and shopping (which may well be a disadvantage). Possibly
the greatest advantage in a four -day workweek is that it will provide parents
with school -age children an opportunity to visit the schools during school
hours to observe their children in the classroom, and that is almost certainly to
be a shocking experience to most. Many classroom problems could be solved if
parents could visit their children's schools more opportunely.
Some employees will certainly experience some difficulties with a
four -day workweek even if only initially. Working mothers with small children
may find it virtually impossible to attend to all of the early morning responsi-
bilities at home and report to work before 8:00 a.m. Some will find it equally
challenging if not impossible to perform their evening chores by returning home
an hour later in the evening. Car poolers may find it inconvenient to make other
arrangements because some passengers will be on four -day and others will not.
c,
Parking fees will have to be rearranged to four -day. The new schedule may conflict
with community or social activities, or prove incompatible with the working hours
of a spouse.
Most of the disadvantages associated with a four -day workweek are more
1
likely to affect women than men. Recent polls indicate that of thn3e not on
four -day, men seem to prefer four -day 2 to 1 to women. 17/ Men constitute about ;
three -fourths of city and county non -uniformed work forces. Of course, not all
of the women will have those family responsibilities mentioned above. During
any experimental phase those persons who find four -day incompatible with their
activities could be allowed to continue on five-day. Experience has shown th t
17/ George Gallup, "Gallup Poll: Men Favor, Women Oppose 4-Day, 40 Hour Week,"
Chicago Sun -Times (March 25, 1971), p. 67.
-14-
they quickly find it worthwhile to make the necess-ry adjustments.
Employees who have become accustomed to working 7k or 8 hours a day
may find a four -day schedule very tiring. Others will be able to work over
nine hours per day experiencing no more fatigue than they do now. The best
way to get at this information is through observation and employees' attitudes
through questionnaire after four -day has been tried. It must be remembered
that this is the first generation in the history of mankind to have a "universal"
8-hour day. There is no reason to believe we are any less hardy or capable of
work in excess of eight hours than preceding generations.
The Probability of Supplementary Employment ("Moonlighting")
and the Consequences of Job Performance 18/
A strong theoretical argument against four -day is that it'will increase
multiple jobholding and make the employee less than fully productive on his
primary job. However, there are so many factors that influence a person to seek
supplementary employment, it is very difficult and risky to generalize. The
question of moonlighting invariably comes up when disci-ssing a four -day workweek
or a shorter workweek, so a look at some national facts and trends may help clear
the air.
For about 15 years the Bureau of Labor Statistics has compiled data
on characteristics of multiple jobholders. In 1960 men were more likely to have
a second job than women. Married men accounted for as much as three -fourths of
all second jobholders, while married women were no more likely to have a second
18/ The terms supplementary employment, moonlighting, multiple jobholding, and
dual jobholding are used interchangeably in this publication.
-15-
a
jobthm single women. There was little variation among women by age group. 19/
In 1963, of the total men in the work force, 7.4 percent were multiple job-
holders while only 2.4 percent of the women were. 20/ 8.2 percent of the
married men were multiple jobholders while only 4.4 percent of the single men
were similarly identified. 8.8 percent of the men between the ages of 25 and
44 years had supplementary employment. In 1963 the Bureau reported:
Men are much more likely to hold second jobs than
women. In May 1962, the percent of employed men
with more than one job (6.4 percent) was about
three times as great as for employed women (2.0
percent) -- a ratio which has remained fairly con-
stant in recent surveys. Men between 25 and 44
years of age had a higher rate of dual jobholding
(7.6 percent) than persons of other ages. Most
men in these ages are married and have family
responsibilities .... Among employed women, how-
ever, there was no significant difference in the
percentage with two jobs for married women (1.7
percent) and for single women (2.0 percent).,21/
In 1964 these figures were virtually unchanged, with a relatively slight
increase for married men between the ages of 25 and 44, up .7 percent. 22/
19/ Jacob Schiffman, "Multiple Jobholders in December 1960," Monthly_Labor
Review, LXXXIV (October 1961), pp. 1066-67. Multiple jobholders were
defined as persons working for more than one employer during the week
of the survey, including self-employed persons who held salaried jobs,
or salaried persons who also worked for family members with or without
pay, as well as school teachers who worked for more than one school
district, although employed 40 hours a week or less, but did not in-
clude private household workers who worked for more than one employer.
Persons changing jobs during the survey week and therefore reporting
two employers were also included as multiple jobholders.
20/ Forrest A. Bogan and Harvey R. Hamel, "Multiple Jobholders in May 1963,"
Monthly Labor Review, LXXXVII (March'1964), p. 251
21/ Jacob Schiffman, "Multiple Jobholders in May 1962," Monthly Labor Review,
LXXXVI (May 1963),p. 519.
22/ Harvey R. Hamel and Forrest A. Bogan, "Multiple Jobholders in May 1964,"
Monthly Labor Review, LXXXVIII (March 1965), p. 268
-16-
ram.
Surveys on dual jobholders were not conducted in 1967 and 1968. However, these
figures are still fairly constant. In 1971, 2.6 percent of the women had
supplementary employment while 6.7 percent of the men were dual jobholders.
More than half of all male multiple jobholders were 25 - 44 years of age. 23/ ;
The typical multiple jobholder has been defined as "a comparatively
young married man with children who feels a financial squeeze. He has a full-
time primary job and moonlights about 13 hours a week at a different line of
work. Teachers, policemen, firemen, postal workers, and farmers are most likely
to moonlight." 24/ Presently, local government employees are the champion moon-
lighters in the economy. In 1971 teachers, guards, policemen, and firemen had
the highest rate of moonlighting. 25/ 1967 Bureau of Labor Statistics show
convincingly that moonlighting is directly related to income and size of family,
as shown in the following tabulations:
MULTIPLE JOBHOLDING RATES FOR MEN
HEADS OF HOUSEHOLDS, May 1966 26/
Children Under Age 18
Total . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7.9%
None . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5.4%
1 child . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8.3%
2 children . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9.1%
3 or 4 children . . . . . . . . 9.8%
5 children or more . . . . . . . . .10.3%
23/ Howard V. Hayghe and Michelotti Kopp, "Multiple Jobholding in 1970 and
1971," Monthly Labor Review, XCIV (October 1971), p. 39.
24/ Harvey R. Hamel, "Moonlighting -- an Economic Phenomenon," Monthly Labor
Review, XC (October 1967), p. 17.
25/ Hayghe'and Kopp, op. cit., p. 40, XCIV.
26/ Hamel, "Moonlighting -- an Economic Phenomenon," op. cit., p. 18.
-17-
Multiple Jobholding Rates for Men
25 to 54 Years Old, May 1966 26/
ALL MEN
Percent
12
10
8
6
4
2
0
MARRIED MEN
Percent
14
12
10 —
8--
6r--
4-
2
Less $60-
than $60 $99
$100- $150-
$149 $199
$200 or
more
Weekly wage and salary earnings
O
i
26/ Ibid.
-18-
Hands of Tiouseholds with five nr more children are twice as likely
to hold two or more jobs ns persons with no children. The pattern of increased
multiple jobholding is consistent throughout the series on this variable.
The relationship between multiple jobholding, and income is at least
equal to that of family size. The probability of dual jobholding for an indi-
vidual who earns less than $60 p week from the primary job is twice as high as
that of an individual who earns $200 or more a week. The propensity is increased
when the data are controlled for marital status.
A 1962 survey showed that approximately ten percent of those persons
employed in public administration had supplementary employment. 28/ The reason
offered for this high percentage of dual jobholders was that the "skills, edu-
cation, and desire of professional and other white-collar workers in government
for a standard of living commensurate with their occupational status probably
explains why these workers have extra employment." 29/
Despite the changing economic situation, employees in public adminis-
tration have consistently had the highest percentage of dual jobholding among,
the non-agricultural industries. 30/
Financial responsibilities do not explain the whole picture, however.
A plausible explanation for persons in certain occupational fields to have a
second job is the demand for their skills. A business education teacher, for
example, can easily find part-time evening work that requires as little as one
hour per night, three nights a week. If the individual teaches typing on his
28/ Schiffman, "Multiple Jobholders in May 1962," on- cit., p. 518.
291 Ibid.
30/ Hamel and Bogan, "Multiple Jobholders in May 1964," op.cit.,
pp. 267-68.
-19-
PAY
1-1
.F-
primary job and secondary job, there is practically no preparation required
for the second job and the work becomes significantly easy at very rewarding
pay.
James Steele and Riva Poor reported that of 141, respondents on four -
day there was a 13 percent increase in dual jobholding after four -day had been
implemented. 31/ They concluded that four -day contributed significantly to
supplementary employment. 32/ Although the findings are interesting, we do not
know some of the necessary important characteristics of the sample group: Were
they all from the same company, the same community, the same type of business?
We know nothing of the age group, family structure, or the occupational skills
of this sample. More carefully documented studies show that there are many
factors that determine whether or not a person holds two jobs. "Hours of work"
has long since been rejected by competent observers as being the primary or the
most important one. It cannot be denied, however, that fewer work hours per week
or an extra day off will contribute to making supplementary employment more
feasible. On the other hand, compressing five days into four will undoubtedly
cause some employees to discontinue their second jobs because of the conflict in
scheduling.
Hamel and Bogan found that:
Available information does not show that persons
with shorter hours per week (35 to 40) are
necessarily more likely to be dual jobholders
than those working longer hours (41 or more).
In fact, the dual jobholding rate for persons
who worked 41 hours a week or more was a
little higher than for persons who worked 35
to 40 hours ... 33/ Emphasis added.
31/ "Work and Leisure: The Reactio,is of People at 4-Day Firms," Poor, ed.,
4 Pays, 40 hours, op. cit., pp. 105-122.
32/ Ibid., pp. 109-110
33/ Hamel and Bogan, "Multiple Jobhol' a May 1964,11 op. cit., p. 268
-20-
A
Similarly, in 1967 Hamel wrote:
The data show that in nonfarm industries persons who
worked 35 to 40 hours on their main job were no more
likely to be multiple jobholders than those who had
worked 41 to 48 hours ....
This suggests that reducing the workweek by only a
few hours would not in and of itself sutstantially
affect the inc.dence of multiple jobholding provided
there was no cutback in earnings. No significant
1
inverse relationship exists between moonlighting and
the length of the workweek .... It seems reasonable,
therefore, to assume that among full-time workers,
factors other than the length of the workweek deter-
mine whether a man looks for a second job. 34/
A point should be made about labor's position on supplementary employ-
ment, even if one subscribes to the theory tht;t a shorter workweek or a four -day
workweek will not result in a significant increase in multiple jobholding. Labor
has consistently opposed moonlighting because it feels that the person %,ho takes
a second job may (1) accept lower wages than that demanded by organized labor;
(2) not show much interest in the labor movement; and (3) take away a job that
could be held by an unemployed. The first two arguments may or may not be true.
The third is specious. It is erroneous to assume that those who are unemployed
necessarily have the requisite skills for the second jobs that are taken by
persons already holding a primary job in local government. The Bureau of Labor
Statietics has shown, in fact, that this is not true. The tables below for
1962-1964 list multiple jobholders and the last full-time job of the unemployed: 35/
34/ ilamel, "Moonlighting -- an Economic Phenomenon," op. cit., p. 19
35/ Schiffman, "Multiple Jobholders in May 1962,11 op. cit., p. 523;
Logan and Hamel, "Multiple Jobholders in May 1963,11 W.A. cis.., p. 257
Bogan and Hamel, "Multiple Jobholders in May 1964," ou. cit., p. 274.
This is the most recent information available making such a comparison.
-21-
h
MAJOR OCCUPATION GROUP OF SECONDARY JOB FOR PERSONS WITH TWO
JOBS OR MORE AND OF LAST FULL-TIME JOB FOR UNEMPLOYED PERSONS,*
May 1962
(Thousands of persons)
Secondary job of persons
with two jobs or more
Last
full-time
Major occupation group
Self-
gage
job of
em-
and
unem-
Total
ployed
salary
ployed 1
on sec-
on
persons
ondary
second -
job
ary job
All occupations
3 342
990
2,352
3 121_
Professional and technical workers,
managers, officials, and proprietors,
except farm . . . . . . . . . . . . .
862
360
502
224
Professional and technical workers
482
127
355
121
Managers, officials, and proprie-
tors, except farm . . . . . . . . .
380
233
147
103
Clerical and sales workers, craftsmen
operatives, service workers, and
laborers . . . . . . . . . . . .
2,013
170
1,843
2,892
Clerical workers . . . . . . . .
258
11
247
331
Sales workers . . . . . . . . . . . .
237
31
206
164
Craftsmen . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
346
67
279
427
Operatives . . . . . . . . . . . . .
424
21
403
923
Service workers, jncluding private
household . . . . . . . . . . . .
418
23
395
509
Laborers, except farm and mine .
182
15
167
460
Farm laborers . . . . . . . . . . . .
148
2
146
78
Farmers and farm managers . . . . . .
467
460
7
5
* Data relate only to unemployed persons who at some time held a full-time civilian
job for a period of at least two weeks. Schiffman "Multiple Jobholders in May,
1962," op. cit., p. 523.
NOTE: Because of rounding, sums of individual items may not equal totals.
� -22-
MAJOR OCCUPATION GROUP OF SECONDARY JOB FOR PERSONS WITH TWO
JOBS OR MORE AND OF LAST FULL-TIME JOB FOR UNEMPLOYED PERSONS,*
May 1963
(Thousands of persons)
Secondary job of persons
with two jobs or more
_
Last
full-time
Major occupation group
Self-
Wage
job of
em-
and
unem-
Total
ployed
salary
ployed 1
on sec-
on
persons
ondary
second -
job
ary job
All occupations . . . . . . .
3,921
1,252
2,669
,267
Professional and technical, and
managerial workers, except farm . . . .
931
361
570
260
Professional, technical, and
kindred workers .
539
148
391
159
Managers, officials, and proprietors,
except farm . . . . . . . . . . . .
392
213
179
101
Farmers and farm managers . . . . . . .
630
618
12
6
All other occupations . . . . . . .
2,360
273
2,98/
3,003
Clerical and kindred workers . . . . . .
288
16
2/2
390
Sales workers . . . . . .
315
67
248
171
Craftsmen, foremen, and kindred
workers . . . . .
386
104
282
372
Operatives and kindred workers . . . . .
478
45
433
1,008
Service workers, including private
household •. . .
529
25
504
524
Farm laborers and foremen .,
156
---
156
90
Laborers, except farm and mine . . . . .
208
16
192
448
ie Data relate only to unemployed persons who at some time held a full-time civilian
job for a period of at least two weeks. Bogan and Hamel, "Multiple Jobholders in
May, 1963," op. cit., p. 257.
-23-
r
MAJOR OCCUPATION GROUP OF SECONDARY JOB FOR PERSONS WITH TWO
JOBS OR MORE AND OF LAST FULL-TIME JOB FOR UNEMPLOYED PERSONS,*
May 1964
(Thousands of persons)
Secondary job of persons
with two jobs or more
Last
full-time
Major occupation group
Self-
Wage
job of
em-
and
unem-
Total
ployed
on sec-
salary
on
ployed
l
persons
ondary
second -
job
ary job
All occupations . . .
3 726
1 174
2 552
2 915
Professional and technical, and
managerial workers, except farm .
891
347
544
191
Professional, technical, and
kindred workers . ••
504
123
381
118
Managers, officials, andpropri-
etors, except farm . . . . .
387
224
163
73
Farmers and farm managers . . . .
613
605
8
13
All other occupations . . . . . ..
2,222
222
2,000
2,711
Clerical and kindred workers . .
266
15
251
395
Sales workers . . .
284
41
243
156
Craftsmen, foremen, and kindred
workers . . . . . . . . . .
375
ill
264
307
Operatives and kindred workers .
436
22
414
835
Service workers, including private
household . . . . . . . . . . . . .
446
25
421
565
Farm laborers and foremen . . . .
161
2
159
80
Laborers, except farm and mine .
254
6
248
373
Data relate only to unemployed persons who at some time held a full-time civilian
job for a period of at least two weeks. Bogan and Hamel, "Multiple Jobholders in
May, 1962," op. cit., p. 274
-24-
Moreover, the unemployed in one community may be made up primarily
of laborers and machinists, while most part-time jobs held by multiple job-
holders are in the clerical, teaching, and security fields. Analysis of the
preceding tables makes it apparent that a very small number of jobs held by
dual jobholders would go to the unemployed. In addition to the problem of
adequate skills, specific notice should be made of the number of jobholders that
are self-employed on their secondary jobs. In analyzing the 1964 data the
Bureau observed:
Even if all the extra jobs were available to the
unemployed there are other problems which would
have to be overcome. Not only must there be a
matching of jobs which are usually held by men and
by women, and willingness of. unemployed workers
to relocate to geographic areas where the secondary
jobs are open, but the unemployed must also have the
skills or physical abilities to fill available jobs.
Jobless workers could not often step into the sup-
plemental jobs of 1.6 million persons, whather be-
cause the positions were created by the occupants a
for themselves or because the job requirements are
too stringent. 36/
Paul E. Mott has written that the person who holds more than one job
is an active and robust individual. He found that multiple jobholders were "more
energetic than those with one job. It is this greater physical capacity that
probably accounted for their getting more education, taking a second job, and
maintaining their high levels of activI.ty in voluntary associations." 37/ Further
analysis revealed that in almost no instance could he find that multiple job-
holders were less active than persons with only one job. "Moonlighters were less
inclined than one -jobholders to watch television, garden, visit friends, and
take naps, but they were just as inclined as the latter to hunt, fish and build
36/ Bogan and Hamel, "Multiple Jobholders in May 1963,11 op. cit., p. 257
37/ "Hours of Work and Noonlightirg," Clyde E. Dankert, Floyd C. Mann, and
Herbert R. Northrup, ads., Hours of Work, Industrial Relations Research
Association Series (New York: Harper & Row, 1965), p. 89.
-25-
^1
and fix things. So even during those hours when they might rest, they still
elected less sedentary activities than non -moonlighters." 38/ If Professor
Mott is correct, and as local governments experiment with four -day, we could
end up with some most interesting findings indeed.
Based on available evidence we conclude that four -day will not result
in significant increases over present dual jobholding by city and county
employees.
38/ Ibid., pp. 89-90
-26-
CHAPTER TWO
The Relationship Between your -Da
and Productivity
Increased efficiency and productivity are two of the most important
factors weighing in four -day workweek discussions, yet the empirical evidence
to support the claim is all but non-existent. Although four -day is becoming
synonymous in the literature with a shorter workweek, the two are not necessarily
identi:al. They may truly be non -comparable. Rigorous documented studies have ;
long been available on the relationship of hours of work and productivity for
output), but these findings were based largely on workweeks considerably above
40 hours. 39/ -Available research is extremely exiguous on the relationship
between less than 40 hours a week and output, and except for the few companies
reported in Poor's study, totally lacking on four -day. The number of cases
covered in Poor's study is insufficient for formulating hypotheses and pre-
dictions.
Although empirical data are lacking on this subject, it can be dealt
with in a theoretical framework. Hopefully it will be further studied through
actual experimentation of a four -day workweek. Discounting motivational factors,
e.g., increased pay, additional hours of leisure, improved fringe benefits, etc.,
maintaining the present number of hours in the work week arranged on a new
schedule could not be expected to produce greater output. 40/ If these hours
are arranged in sucn a way as to make the employee experience undue fatigue, the
39/ See, for example, "}lours and Output," by David G. Brown in Hours of Work,
Dankert et. al., OP. cit., pp. 147-160.
40/ Unless of course the present schedule was not well planned or efficient
in the first place.
r -27-
rearranged schedule may decrease production and employee output. If, on the
other hand, the present number of hours was compressed into a four -day workweek
with the compensation of longer blocks of leisure, the assumption is that morale
will be raised to such a level as to stimulate output, although the hours worked
per day would be longer. Present four -day experience seem to bear this out. How-
ever, these results may not be long-lasting. We do not know, whether after six
months' or a year's experience four -day will no longer be novel to employees and
the new "higher" morale (assuming that it results) will recede to its former
level, and output will also simultaneously decline?
These observations have proceeded on the assumption that we have some
way of measuring output. In most of local government employment we do not. If
+
we were talking about the automobile industry or a television production plant
measurement would be easy. The same is not true for public service. In industry
productivity is measured in terms of marketable output (in large measure quanti-
tative) and profits. In government productivity is measured in terms of service
(generally qualitative). The distinction is not to suggest that industry is not
concerned with quality, or that government is not concerned with quantity, but
rather to illustrate the fundamental difference in measuring productivity for two
diverse industries. It was relatively easy for the small businesses who have
experimented with four -day to measure increased productivity: so many cans of
fruit, so many gallons of paint, so many dollars in sales. To measure the produc-
tivity of an urban planner or fireman or policeman requires productivity measuring
rods not yet devised. If we can establish that during a four -day workweek trial
period the service of a particular agency improved or remained constant, or de-
creased, or that a typist was able to produce more or the same, or less amount
and quality of work, we will in effect have measured output. The basic problem is
-28-
one of exactness, which can be more readily achieved in the case of private as
compared to local government employment. An attempt to standardize the eval-
uation process could be achieved during an experimental stage. City and county
government will have in its favor the fact that it will have provided longer
hours of service available to the public, which can in itself be an important
and fundamental improvement.
Absenteeism
A dramatic decline in absenteeism has been cited by companies on four -
day as one of the advantages resulting from the new work schedule. Since ex-
cessive absences have a direct bearing on productivity and efficiency, some
attempt should be made to assess the impact of four -day on absenteeism.
The short-range or even long-range effect four -day will have on absen-
teeism, like other advantages, e.g., increased morale or productivity, may not be
permanent. Again, as four -day becomes the norm, it may simply turn out to contain
all of the problems of five-day. One observer has noted that several organi-
zations will rearrange their work schedules to reduce absenteeism and turnover,
not realizing that this is not the basic problem, but a symptom. "The basic
problem is that many people have little or no interest in their jobs. The vast
majority of jobs, and this includes positions from the top to the bottom of
i organizations, simply do not challenge the ability of the individuals doing the
Job." 41/ His comments are certainly worth noting, even if one disagrees with
his analysis.
Because it is difficult, indeed impossible, to accurately predict the
permanent effect on absenteeism, detailed examination and analysis was made of
41/ Thomas K. Connellan, quoted in Industrial Relations News, April 24, 1971,
P. 1.
-29-
absentee reports for Oakland employees for a given month. This analysis
would be more meaningful if it compared absentee rates before and after imple-
mentation of four -day, but given the present limitations some patterns and trends
can be identified.
August, 1971, was chosen for rtudy. The figures on which this analysis
was based were not chosen by random or stratif Led sampling, but included the
entire population of sick leave reports. Since sick leave cases constitute the
preponderant majority of absences, the sick leave reports were used. Although a
fuller picture could be obtained by looking at reports over a longer period of
time, because of the time and effort involved, only one month was chosen for
analysis. 42/ August is the last month for which the city had completed reports
and in which there were no holidays. 43/
An assumption that has been advanced by some is that a significant
number of employees either "get sick" on Monday or Friday, providing themselves
with a long weekend, or "get sick" during the week to transact personal business
or simply rest. The second part of this assumption is impossible to test since
we would not know to what extent the phenomenon was operative on Tuesdays, Wednea-
day, or Thursdays, but the first part of the assumption may at least be invali-
dated, i.e., we could not even in this case prove that people were more prone to
get sick on Mondays and Fridays, providing themselves with a long weekend, but
we can show that the assumption is or is not plausible. If, for example, the
absentee rate was twice as high on Mondays and Fridays than for the rest of the
42/ An alternative would be to look at absenteeism over a longer period based
on a sample population.
43/ It is necessary to "control" for any additional influences on the propensity
to add to a long weekend, e.g., Thanksgiving, which was celebrated on
Thursday and Friday by city employees.
-30-
week, we could draw some inferences and formulate some tentative hypotheses.
Reviewing the absences for the month of August, the following results
were obtained: 44/
N = 456
Monday 19.9%
Tuesday .`.. 20.3%
Wednesday 20.6%
Thursday 19.7%
Friday 19.2%
As can be seen from this tabulation, personnel were no more apt to be absent
on Mondays and Fridays than during the rest of the week. A more rigorous study
may show different results, but at least for now, a three-day absenteeism pattern
is not apparent.
A review of the absentee rate for the Oakland Police Department required
more effort since that department operates on a 24-hour basis, and the days off
would include every day of the week. However, the decision to look at this de-
partment was based on.two factors: (1) it is the largest department, and (2) in
the last consolidated sick leave report (Fiscal Year 1970-71) it had the highest
absentee rate. A normal distribution of absences would be 14.28 percent per day,
and two days (the one before the regular two days off and the one after the
regular two days off) would be 28.5 percent. The August report revealed the
following: 45/ '
I
N a 94
f
Absences establishing a three -day -off pattern .............. 30.9% 1
Non -grouping ............................................... 69.1%
44/ There were actually five Mondays and five Tuesdays in August; the fifth
Monday and Tuesday were not included. This tabulation does not include
uniformed personnel.
45/ Only those absences listed as illnesses or off -duty injuries were included
in this analysis. Death leaves, on -duty injuries, recurrence of duty in-
juries were all excluded. Illnesses of three days duration or more were also
excluded.
-31-
Although the three-day pattern was established in 30.9 percent of the cases,
it would have been expected in at least 28.5 percent, and the 2.4 percent
difference is insufficient and insignificant for drawing inferences for a
three-day pattern. Tentatively, it may be said that the Police Department, as
the rest of the city personnel, were no more apt to be absent the day before
or the day after their regular two days uff than other times of the workweek.
Holidays, Sick Leave, Vacations and Overtime
All holidays, (particularly those on Mondays), sick leave, vacations
and overtime pay are all pertinent concerns to any organization considering a
four -day workweek. In the case of a city or county it will be necessary to
spell out by ordinance how a four -day workweek will affect each of these ereas.
For example, if an employee is normally off on Mondays and a holiday is cele-
brated on Monday, the employee will be off both Monday and Tuesday, resultin3 in
a four -day weekend. Likewise, an employee who is off on Friday and a holiday is
celebrated on Friday will be off both the preceding Thursday and Friday, result-
ing in a four -day weekend. This arrangement will occur at least five times a
year with Monday holidays especially since new California legislation provides
for more holidays to be observed on Monday.
Sick leave and vacation credits will have to be computed on a four -day
workweek rather than five. As is now being done in Atlanta, it may be necessary
to compute vacation and/or sick leave on the number of hours actually worked or
taker rather than by days. It will also be necessary to resolve conclusively
how vucation time will be taken for days earned before implementation, i.e., an
employee who has earned ten days vacation will take seventy-five hours for vaca-
tion, which means eight days he would normally work on four -day, not ten.
Overtime pay takes on increased significance on a four -day workweek.
-32-
On five-day all work over A or 8 hours is synonymous with work over 37k or
40 hours, and therefore constitutes, ipso facto, overtime pay or compensation,
and presents no problem. When schedules are rearranged to a four -day work-
week, maintaining the same, or in some cases even fewer hours per week, work
over A or 8 hours per day will not automatically mean work over 37k or 40
hours per week. It is absolutely imperative that this distinction be drawn
and clearly understood. Unless the local government is willing to take on the
------------
added expense of paving premium rates for regular workweeks, contracts and
ordinances should state unequivocally that overtime pay will be paid only for
hours over and above 37k or 40 hours per workweek, regardless of the workday;
or will only pay overtime for work over and above whatever constitutes the new
workday, e.g., 9k or 10 hours.
-33-
The Four -Day Workweek and Transportation
If it becomes universal, the long-range impact of four -day necessitates
the need for discussion on transportation, both public and private, particularly
as it affects the movement of traffic and parking facilities. Attention must
also be given to the possibility of 4n increase or decrease in traffic accidents.
Unfortunately very little has been done in this area. Vincent R. Desimone,
Transportation Planning Engineer of the Automobile Club of Southern California,
has provided a very useful analysis of the impact on transportation based on a
study of the Los Angeles Freeway System and the cordon around the Los Angeles
Central Business District (CBD). His paper serve: as a model for further study
and research. 46/
Desimone's study is concerned primarily with three areas of potential
impact: total travel, peak period travel, and safety. He found that considering
the present pattern of traffic movement, total travel would not be affected to
any significant degree if four -day became widespread. However, he did recognize
the probability of a significant impact on rural and recreational roads. 47/
The second area, peak period travel, appeared to be the most affected
by four -day, and which provided the greatest benefit for the public. Desimone
studied the impact on peak period travel on five different working schedules. He
found that the maximum relief to the congested areas an.0 the freeway system could
be achieved through a four -day workweek equally rotated Monday through Saturday,
and the least through a workweek with one-half of the employees working Monday
through Thursday, and the other half working Tuesday through Friday. It would
46/ Vincent R. Desimone, "The 4-Day Work Week and Transportation," Presented at
f the American Association of State Highway Officers Annual Meeting, Miami,
Florida, December 6-10, 1971.
47/ Ibid., pp. 7-8.
-34-
be pointed out that the reference is to all employees in a given area, not to
one company. The predictions are also made on a work -week of 40 hours, where
employees would start working one hour earlier and finish working one hour later
than the present schedule. His findings are more precisely summarized in the
graphic presentations below. 48/
GRAPH A - DAILY 110BILITY IMPACT WITH 100% OF ALL EMPLOYEES ON 4-DAY
(XX% - Percent of 4-Day Employees Working A Given Day)
2200
2000
1801
1600
Capaci
1400
E 1200
1000
800
600
400
200
Current Demand
ty- -�--- --`--
----i-----i-.4 --- ----
80%
� 17 % (
I I
%
337.
I
��.
O 0 O O O O O O p
Time
48/ Ibid., pp. 14, 16.
-35-
.A.
(RAPH B - DAILY ;MOBILITY IMPACT WITH 35% OF ALL EMPLOYEES ON 4-DAY
(XX% - Percent of 4-Day Employees Working a Given Day)
,2200
2000
1800
1600
1400
z
gI 1200
A
1000
800
600
400
20D
Current Demand
-Capaci LY--
'
��.
I 80%
7%
33%
—c,
cn vi rn a v v O oo �o .D p
O W O O W •.
O O O W O
TIME
Notice that graph A is based on 1007 of all employees on four -day.
The projections are, perforce, hypothetical, and the very nature of several busi-
nesses would dictate that operations be performed five, six, or seven days a week,
making 100% of all employees on four -day, evenly spread over the week for the
entire business area, highly unlikely.
The impact of four -day on the Los Angeles CBD Cordon can be seen from
Table A. 491
491 Ibid., p. 18.
-36-
TABLE D - A.M. PEAK PERIOD LOS ANGELES CBD COP.DON VOLUMES
(Historic and Possible 4-Day)
Year of
Inbound Volume
Cordon
7
a.m. to 9 a.m.
Count
Condition
(Vehicles)
1936
100%
on
5-day,
100%
working
that
day
58,000
1941
100%
on
5-day,
100%
working
that
day
'62,300
1957
100%
on
5-day,
1001working
that
day
72,600
1967
100%
on
5-day,
100%
working
that
day
70,000
1970
100%
on
5-day,
100%
wort.'ing
that
day
72,600
1970
100%
on
4-day,
100%
working
that
da;r
72,600
1970
100%
on
4-day,
80%
working
that
day
58,000
1970
100%
on
4-day,
67%
working
that
day
48,400
1970
35%
on
4-day,
100%
working
that
day
67,400
1970
35%
on
4-day,
80%
working
that
day
63,400
1970
35%
on
4-day,
67%
working
that
day
59,800
In his discussion of the impact of four -day on the freeway system and
the CBD, Desimone observed:
The Los Angeles Central Business District is currently going
through an impressive building boom which will result in sub-
stantial additional employment. Currently access across the
cordon around the CBD is free flow. However, there is not much
additional capacity available for vehicles on the present street
system. In order to insure continued good access it will be
necessary to increase the overall efficiency of the street sys-
tem through upgrading the capacity through operational techniques,
spreading out of the peak traffic period and reducing total
vehicular demand. Just as four -day spread out the peak traffic
period and reduced total vehicular demand on a freeway bottleneck
it can do the same thing for a CBD. 50/
Safety is the one area that did not fare well in Desimone's analysis.
He noted that the potential for an increase in accident rates is high, particu-
larly when there is a midweek holiday (about 80% over weekday rates). Of course
this will be determined in large measure by this ntimber of persons on four -day
who are off during midweek. lie did find, however, that three-day weekends were
no more prone to produce an increase in accidents than the present widespread
50/ Ibid., p. 17.
1 -37-
two-day weekend.
? V. R. Desimone did not cover the subject of parking. The availability
' of additional parking space at reasonable, indeed low rates, would be welcomed
by all drivers. If four -day improves the free flow of traffic more employees
may be tempted to drive their cars instead of using public transportation or
car pools, and the resulting paradox would be not a lessening of the parking
demand, but an increase. This is an area that should become a paramount concern
to cities and counties experiencing widespread four -day companies. If a local
i government decides to give more detailed study to four -day, research along the
i
lines of Desimone's study would be extremely helpful.
Conversion on a Gradual Basis
Very small and cohesive organizations can probably proceed to experiment ?
with a four -day workweek with 100 percent of the work force. Even large companies
f whose employees perform basically the same kinds of tasks can make an orderly
t
transition by putting all employees on four -day at one given time. However, the
unknowns of four -day appear to be significant enough to justify a gradual conversion
for local governments whose services are very diverse. Even this arrangement will
i
have some drawbacks since problems may be encountered in establishing efficient
inter -agency or intergovernmental communications with certain key personnel, and
the availability of these personnel. These problems may continue to some extent
on a permanent basis.
i The advantages most likely to accrue from gradual implementation will
f be an opportunity to study problems as they arise, most especially those that
were not anticipated, and an attempt to arrive at solutions before including ;
additional employees. Such a radical re -ordering of the work schedule will be
F `
sufficient cause in itself to proceed on a gradual basis, incorporating a few
,
-38-
�1
ble to include shift
ions after having solved
eek.
CHAPTER THREE
An Information Program for Employees
The comment was made in the introduction that employees should be
well informed prior to any implementation of four -day. Contrary to the advice
of some consultants, the Institute believes that supervisors and subordinates
should be active participants in discussions concerning four -day.
Thorough and clear explanations of what four -day means, what it attempts
to accomplish, advantages and disadvantages to employees should be provided. No
matter what the benefits are, including pay raises, people naturally want to be
consulted before implementing profound changes. It is a desirable circumstance
and in conformance with widespread public administration participatory processes, it
should be respected. A schedule designed with employees' active participation
is far more apt to suc--eed than one that is devised without their consultation.
Alternatives to the Four -Day Workweek
Some of the advantages, without the disadvantages of the four -day work-
week can probably be achieved through other means, and hence some consideration
might be given to alternatives. An area of immediate concern to city and county
traffic engineers, and the community is the endless and seemingly insoluble
traffic problem.
Over a year ago German industry began to experiment with a work schedule
that would considerably reduce traffic snarls End not interfere with the efficient
operation of business. 51/ The system is a "gzleitende arbeitzeit" or gliding
worktime system, which provides employees with a flexible work V .edule. Within
certain defined limits employees are allowed to choose their own starting and
51/ New York Times, July 12, 1971, p. 1.
-40-
finishing time at work, providing they work a full day. The system allowed
mothers with small children more flexibility in reporting to work, as well as
persons who simply desire to sleep longer in the morning. It was necessary to
keep track of employees' total work hours to make sure they worked a full week,
but the overall evaluation of the system was quite satisfactory. Some will say
that Americans are not that disciplined or that American business could not
operate efficiently on such a schedule, but no evidence of this has been pro-
vided. Itis, however, a possibility that is worth investigation, experimentation
and research. Perhaps in lieu of the everyday free choice, some kind of shift
scheduling may be necessary.
A second alternative is a shorter workweek arranged on five days with
employees reporting to work at different hours, providing longer hours for busi-
ness. Some employees would start at 8:00 a.m., others at 9:00 a.m., and others
at 10:00 a.m., but unlike the gliding system they would be required to be at
work at a designated hour, and instead of working 7k hours per day, they would
work 7 hours a day. Business hours would be changed from 8:30 - 5:00 p.m., to
8:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m., providing a total of 7k extra hours per week, or equiva-
lent to one full working day.
A third alternative may be any combination of the other two and/or
the four -day workweek. There are several possibilities, and depending upon the
needs of the organization, each should be given thorough consideration.
-41-
FEW
The Long -Range Impact on Society and the Need
e
for Continuing Research
It is still too early to make long-range predictions or to attempt
to assess where four -day will take us twenty years from now if it becomes uni-
versal practice; the necessary data are not yet available for analysis. Some
observations of possible impact are in order, however.
Consideration of the many institutions and individuals who will in
i
aome way be affected by a change in work hours necessarily leads to speculation
about new trends and developments that will possibly change our existing social
structure. Assuming that four -day replaces our standard five-day workweek will
housing patterns be shifted? Will churches suffer drastically in membership
and attendance as more families use their weekends for travel away from the
community? How will public schools adapt to a four -day workweek? Will schools
be able to devise a schedule that will not have children of the same family out
of school on different days? Will new demands be made for additional recre-
ational facilities? Is juvenile delinquency apt to increase with young people
idle three days instead of two? How will traffic safety be affected? Is the
four -day workweek the precursor to a three-day workweek? These and other questions
have to be pondered and finally resolved as four -day becomes more firmly entrenched.
Reference was made earlier to the employee's savings resulting from a
four -day workweek, mainly as a result of one dayts less work -related expenses;
or, at least, being available for other discretionary spending. For those who
enjoy travel, camping, and other outdoor activity, additional blocked leisure will
provide an opportunity for engaging in these activities more regularly. Some will
be tempted to buy property near resort areas or in virtually uninhabited communities,
giving rise to additional investments, construction, and employment. Some may even
-42 , .
decide to change their primary residences to new locations, causing a shift
in housing patterns and urban sectors.
Schools have shown in the past that they are able to adapt to changes
in the social structure. They have traditionally been located where the popu-
lation settled, and their schedules have been arranged reflecting the larger
pattern of American institutions -- presently five days per week. Whether or
not they can implement schedules that will be satisfactory to most families'
new leisure time is not so certain. If housing patterns change, providing more
mobility to the middle and upper income groups, additional demands and strains
may be placed upon the schools to achieve racial balance, thereby ballooning
the current problem.
The extent to which four -day will prompt the emergence of three-day is
all but impossible to measure. If four -day becomes 4-32, there is always the
possibility that the next arrangement will be 3-32 or 3-30 or some similar
schedule. Dr. Millard C. Faught, Chief Economist of the Timewealth Corporation
of Houston, Texas, has advocated a three-day workweek for over thirty years, and
now as four -day is receiving serious consideration, he predicts that three-day is
imminent. The implementation of a three-day workweek is likely to be dependent
upon the same criteria used for adopting a four -day workweek, but, considering
historical trends, three-day is still in the distant future.
The need for additional research on the ramifications of a four -day
workweek is apparent. Some of the results that have been achieved are not really
known to be cause -effect relationships, nor do we know much about the probability
of their permanency. Most of the literature on the subject is journalistic or
void of carefully controlled experiments. Important questions such as the future
impact on traffic, excessive fatigue, and safety hazards as a result of long worts
-43-
hours received little, if any, analysis at all. The limited experience of
public administration with four -day leaves a vacuum of information vital to
implementation.
The known results and advantages stemming from four -day need further
documentation and analysis. Some of the advantages credited to four -day are
likely to dissipate as the practice becomes more common: easier recLuiting,
decline in absenteeism and tardiness, and reduced turnover. As a larger number
of companies convert to four -day these advantages would be equally shared to
the point of no longer providing the company with extra attractiveness. More-
over, as suggested by some, there is always the possibility that four -day will
become the norm, replacing five day completely, and consequently will lose its
lustre, i.e., the unpleasantness associated with five-day will simply be sub-
stituted for four -day. On the positive side, four -day may prove to be the
schedule that will be long-lasting and the ultimate achievement in leisure and
productivity. Four -day is the kind of venture that presents all of these un-
certainties with several alternative consequences.
A Prospectus for Research
In the absence of relevant data applicable to public administration,
and specifically local government, the initiative for gathering information and
conducting a penetrating analysis of four -day rests with those who are at least
committed to experimenting with four -day as a possible alternative to the present
work schedule. No amount of theory building can adequately substitute for
observations and analysis of an ongoing experiment. The following research
proposal is based on data for the City of Oakland, designed to provide information
and possible solutions to problems encountered in city government. The advantage
that this proposal has is that at any time it is determined conclusively that
four -day is not feasible for the city, the experiment may be discontinued, and
-44-
P=�r
the five-day workweek restored.
Some of the pertinent Wformation for determining the direction and
scope of this experiment was obtained by stv-lying the total number of city
employees, the various departments and their functions within the city adminis-
tration as well as their relationship to the public, the male -to -female ratio
of employees, the work schedules of the departments, and the percentage of all
employees who work shifts other than Monday through Friday, 37� hours a week,
by department. Additional information that will be -helpful in studying the
effects of four -day can be achieved by determining the employees' degree of
preference for four -day, percentage of female employees married with children,
percentage of single employees, employees in car pools, percent working over-
time, and distance and time traveled to work. This information will be helpful
in making predictions and drawing inferences. This first category of information
has already been collected; the second is yet to be acquired.
In November 1971 approximately 1956 perso.s were employed by the city
An permanent full-time non -uniformed positions, excluding Port employees. Ap-
proximately 71.3 percent of these persons are male, and 23.7 percent are female.
Sixty-nine percent of these employees are working the regular Monday through
Friday workweek.
A sample of 200 employees engaged in an initial experiment would provide
the kinds of data needed for determining the feasibility of a four -day workweek
as it would apply to the city. The number is large enough to allow amply for
problems to arise and be analyzed, and small enough to be easily monitored and
evalue ed. Considering the factors outlined above concerning the departments, and
to be reasonably assured of including a substantial number of female employees
-45-
(whom we feel will be least likely to endorse four -day), four oL five departments
would be chosen for study. Departments whose functions are mainly with other
departments and those who deal most directly with the public would be included
it
for analysis.
{ A questionnaire designed to tap employees' reactions before and after
the experiment would be designed, allowing provisions for open-ended responses.
A questionnaire would also allow the researcher to test the hypothesis of adapt-
ability to four -day by sex. Depending upcn the success of the initial experiment,
additional departments could be added, and the observations and evaluations con-
tinued. The experiment should be of adequate duration to make meaningful ob-
servations and to allow participants sufficient time to adjust. An experiment
lasting less than ninety days would seem wholly inadequate. Six months would
{ appear the most preferable. Conceivably, during this period as many as 500 em-
ployees could be included in the experiment.
The points praised above with regard to overtime, vacations and sick
leave, and to some extent parking, will need to be thought through and solved be-
fore any experiment begins. It will also be necessary to design a comprehensive
evaluation technique for measuring the overall effectiveness of the schedule, that
is, in addition to a questionnaire. The selection of participating department,
precise work schedules, and many of the other details for experimenting with four -
day will be supplied if the decision is made to evaluate four -day on a trial basis.
Most of the background work on these subjects has already been prepared.
The Institute certainly and emphatically does not propose that any per-
son who objects to a four -day workweek be forced to work that schedule against
his will. On the contrary, the emphasis has been that participation should be
voluntary. Since it can be said with confidence that not all employees in the
departments chosen for the four -day experiment will be interested -in participating,
j -46-
1
some thought has been given to this problem. There are some instances where it
may be most desirable to have some employees in a department remain on the
five-day schedule. Initially at least, some of the problems anticipated from
a four -day workweek could be solved by providing the kind of continuity that
cannot readily be achieved with all employees on four -day.
-47-
APPENDIX A
ORANGE COUNTY MEMOS - PERSONNEL DEPARTMENT
-48-
ui
AP-PENDIX A
.1 RANGE
1 / PERSONKEL DEPARTMERT
July 28, 1971
TO: Department Heads
SUBJECT: Four Day 40-Hour 'Work Week
APR 2 8.1972
WILLIAM C. HART
PCHSONNEL DIHECTOk
101•C NWITH UHOAOMAY
SANTA-ANAL CALIFORNIA. 02701
'V; y-zy z 5'
$34-2126
AREA COOS 714
We have agreed with the Orange County Employees Association to study
the feasibility of implementing the 4 day 40 hour work week iA
appropriate departments and divisions. Although initially it appears
that there are some County positions which could easily and perhaps
even advantageously change to a schedule of four 10-hour days, we
have found in studying the available material on the subject that it
is very important that policy and procedural problems be carefully
analyzed and answered before such a new schedule is implemented.
Our staff is currently studying the implications and problems of
switching to the four day week and we will be preparing information
for departments to use in studying their individual operations and
positions regarding the possibility of using the 4-40 plan. We know
that some departments have already given initial consideration to a
4 day week for their own operations. If you have and have come up
with problems, questions or suggestions we suggest that you refer
them to Sharon Tucker in our Employee Relations Division (Extension
2837) so we may cover them in our guidelines. We hope to have the
guidelines available soon so that feasibility studies may be
conducted by departments.
, XAKPI--�' /L - � V--- -� 4
WILLIAM C. HART
Personnel Director
ST:jj
-49-
Y' Q I"
i V Gim
PERSONNEL DEPARTMENT
September 22, 1971
70: Department Heads
SUBJECT: 4-Day Vork Week
WILLIAM C. HART
r CRSONNEL DIRECTOR
•01•C NOft Tfl nROADWAY f
SANTA ANA. CAUrORN1A 027
•fi-2$2/
AREA CODE 714
It was agreed with the Orange County Employees Association that the
feasibility of implementing the 4-day work week in some departments
or in some divisions would be studied. The attached report has been
prepared for you to use as a guideline in studying the feasibility
of the 4-day work week in your department. It is not intended to
present arguments for or against your implementing the 4-day work
week because we fell that this is a decision which must be based
entirely upon the needs of your operation and the type of services
that you offer. It wall not answer all of your questions but will
serve as a guideline as to how to go about conducting the feasibility
study and some of the questions that management should consider in
deciding whether or not the 4-day work week will be of value to them.
Some of you may not need to study the situation too extensively because
some obvious problems may prevent you from considering it.
I would like you to let us know whether you are or are not considering
the possibility of the 4-day work week and if you are, who in your
department is designated as the coordinator for your feasibility study
so that we may give them as much assistance as is necessary. Before
any plan is actually implemented it should be submitted to the Personnel
Department for approval since some of the issues involved in the 4 day
work week may involve negotiating or consulting with the Orange County
Employees Association.
One of the important things which ire have found to be universally
recommended in all of the studies of the 4 day work week is careful pre-
planning before the 4 day work week is implemented. Improper planning
can lead to costly errors.
IIZZ, G`
WILLIAM C. HART
Personnel Director
ST:JJ
-50-
September 22, 1971
COUNTY OF ORANGE
GUIDELINES FOR FEASIBILITY STUDY OF THE 4-DAY WORK 11EEK
1. Questions answered about application of Orange County's provisions regarding
gages, hours and working conditions.
A. Sick Leave
Our 'sick leave provisions provide for. earning and using sick leave based on
hourly, increments. Therefore, our current provisions regarding sick leave
can be adapted to the 4 day 40 hour work schedule. No change will be
necessary.
B. Vacation
Vacation is earned on hours and taken in hourly increments. Therefore current
provisions can be applied without change to the 4 day 40 hour week.
C. Overtime
Our overtime compensation is based upon a 40 hour week rather than an 8 hour
day. Therefore no change will be necessary in the overtime provisions.
D. Jury Duty Pay
We currently provide that the employee shall be entitled to his regular pay
for the hours of absence due to jury duty. This provision can be continued
without change although supervisors will probably more often be able to
require that the employee return for the remainder of his work day since
with the longer schedule it is more likely that there will be sufficient
time left in the day after the jury service to make it worthwhile for the
employee to cone in and perform his regular duties.
E. Military Leave with Pay
State law regarding military leave with pay is based on calendar days. We
will of course be required by the State law to continue under the same
provisions. Because the law is based on calendar -days in most situations the
County will not have to pay for any additional hours for employees on the
40 hour 4 day week.
F. Holidays
Because holidays are based on a day off and are currently based on an eight
hour day this is an area in which some change should be made if some
departments go on a 10 hour day. A change in the holiday structure would
require negotiations with the Orange County Employees Association. In order
to avoid having the employees who are on the 10 hour day lose 2 Hours pay
-51-
Page 2 - County of Orange 4 Day i?ork Week Guidelines contd.
each time there is a holiday it would be desirable to have some provisions
which would cover the extra 2 hours on holidays for employees who are on a
10 hour schedule. A possible alternative which could be considered would
be to delete two of our current holidays (possibly Admissions Day and
Lincoln's Birthday) and add the 15 hours from these two days to the remaining
8 holidays making them 10 hour holidays. Therefore a person on 10 hour day
-schedules would be covered on holidays and persons on 8 hour schedules would
be covered, and in addition could accumulate 2 hours of compensatory time
on each holiday. Over a year's time the employees on 8 hour schedules would
have the equivalent of two extra floating holidays. Such a possible change
has been mentioned to the•OCEA. However, formal negotiations would have to
take place and agreement reached before such a change could be implemented.
It would probably not be implemented -until Janua-y 1st.
IIThings management should consider in studying the feasibility of implementing
the 4 day week.
A. County Ordinance 11.041 prescribes "That all County offices of the County
of Orange shall keep open continuously for the transaction of business from
9 o'clock am until 5 o'clock pm every day of the week except Saturdays, Sundays
and holidays during which days Saturdays, Sundays and holidays they shall
remain closed for the transaction of business." We have asked the County
Counsel for an interpretation of this ordinance and will pass it on to the
departments when we receive it. It is probable that this means that all
departments must remain open 5 days a week unless the Board of Supervisors
were to change this ordinance regarding County office hours.
B. Service bleeds
Probably the most important consideration is when are your services needed
by your clients, the public or other departments who use your services. Will
it be an advantage to your clients for you to be able to provide services for
longer hours of the day. Would this make it possible for your offices to be
open to the public before or after the normal work day providing ti►e public
the opportunity of coming in before or after their working hours. Or if there
is no advantage to your department being open longer hours, would a longer day
make it possible for your staff to have some time during their work day when
the office is not open to the public and therefore allow them to provide a more
efficient service because of being able to get some of the paper work done
faster when the office is not open to the public.
C. Coordination of Effort
IF you rely on the services of some other government agency or some other
department in order to perform your services would their services be available
to you for 10 hours a day, if not will your employees be able to efficiently
perform their services during the extra hours.
D. Sequence of Operation
Do some of the operations in your department depend upon their clients coming
to you after being served somewhere else or going on to another department or
-52-
ill
Page 3 - County of Orange 4 Day !Fork Week Guidelines contd.
agency after being in your department. If so would your longer hours tend to be
wasted because the other operation is open a shorter day?
E. Scheduling
If it is required that you provide your service 5 days a week will you be able
to schedule enough employees over the 5 day period. In doing so will you be
cutting your staff so thin that if a person is out ill there will be no one
available to perform certain services. -Will lunch hours and break tines be
covered. If days off are staggered will everybody be allowed to have either
Monday or Friday off or will some have to take days off during the waek, If
some have to take the extra day off during the week how will you determine who
gets the choice days off - seniority, best employees, who is most familiar with
the various services or will you rotate the extra day off. Rotation of days off,
or allowing employees to occasionally change their extra day off, will have to
be checked very carefully since our pay periods and ►•rork weeks for overtime
purposes begin on Friday.
F. Supervision
If the supervisor's third day off is different from some of his employees' days
off will there be adequate supervision for the employees. What about when a
new employee is hired. Would it be an acceptable situation for him to have
supervision only three dAYs a week or is there backup supervision available on
the day that the ;,jnci visor is off.
G, Longo of the Day
Will the longer day actually utilize your personnel to the best advantage. Does
your work contain peak hours which will now be covered with less personnel on
days when persons are taking their third day off. Is the nature of the work
performed such that after 7 or 8 hours, the productivity of the person declines
significantly.
H. Varying Schedules
Can you arrange proper scheduling if some people are on 5 day work weeks and
some are on 4 day work wz-ek, would it interfere with your scheduling needs if
you allovied employees to choose the schedule they wanted.It is possible that
in some departments it would be desirable to put some sections on the 4 day
work week and keep others or, the 5 day work week. What •rill happen to employee
morale if you do this. Scheduling and coordination could be complicated if you
have a situation where employees in the same work group are on different schedules.
I. Telephone
With the Centrex system many telephone lines may be answered only by the
person being called - will this prevent you from having necessary phone
coverage on the person's extra day off,
-53-
MM
Page 4 - County of Orange 4 Day t-Jori; Week Guidelines Contd.
III. Input from Employees
Although the final decision of whether or not your department implements
the 4 day work week for all or some of your employees is a management
decision based upon the needs and services of your department there is some
value in discussing the possibility with your employees. It is suggested
that where you feel it is advisable that you meet with your employees and
explain to them the possibility of implementing the 4 day work week. Although
you should not inhibit their discussion too much by announcing arbitrary
decisions or even announcing tentative plans in such a way as to preclude an
honest and frank discussio,i on their part, it would be advisable to let them
know at the outset of the discussion that the feasibility of the 4 day work
week is just being studied and that you do not want them to be under the
impression that it will definitely be implemented since this may get their
hopes up and later lead to morale problems.
The following are three general areas which should be discussed with the
employees.
A. How will the 4 day work week affect them personally. (Many reports indicate
that one of the biggest problems with the 4 day work week is the employee's
initial adjustment to having an extra day off and what to do with themselves.
If this problem is not prepared for it can lead to employee discontent, at
least initially, and possible failure for the new schedule. I
Have they thought about how it will fit into the work schedu a and routine
of their spouses.
Have they thought about what they will do with their leisure time.
Hoar will they handle child care.
What about transportation.
B. Flow will the 4 day work week affect them personally in their job
assignments.(The individual employee is probably the best one to identify
the problems that he'll face and is also the best one to find solutions.)
Will they become too tired to be effective near the end of the day.
Will they still be able to coordinate all of their individual assignments
with other employees.
Will it affect their job assignment when another employee in the department
is out for his extra day off.
Will they be able to use the time before and after the normal 8 - 5 work day
more productively or less productively.
C. What are some of the problems that management faces. (It is good to
have your• employees realize the obstacles to the 4 day week since if the
obstacles are great enough they may prevent you from implementing it, or
if you do make the change it's possible that the obstacles can only be over-
come by employee cooperation).
How can they best schedule 4 day employees to cover a five day operation.
How can activities be coordinated together when some employees are off on ;
the extra day.
What is their opinion about service to the public.Will the best service 4
be to open longer hours or to get some of the paper work etc. done, during
the close hours so that better service can be offered to the public during
the regular 8 to 5 schedule.
-54-
11^ i //_ /,-7/
Reasons for 4 day week not to be done on trial basis.
1. If only done on a trial basis then employees should have a choice - because
some necessary adjustments e.g. babysitters, rides - may involve important
changes and would be somewhat difficult for employee to do for a temporary
arrangment. But giving choice to employee may not be practical for long term
program and giving choice for trial period sets bad precedent.
2. A trial period may not show true situation because employees may try to
influence decision one tray or the other during the period they know is
only a trial - e.g. absenteeism or production may be up or down depending
on whether employee likes it or not.
3. New schedule may call for new procedures which would be put off until after
trial since implementing may be extra work and employees may feel not worth
it until decision made. Meanwhile it may affect service, production, morale
etc.
4. Psychologically bad because employees have feeling they can dac He whether
they like it or not - if they don't and say so and it•is continued it could
affect morale. Some reports have indicated that during an initial adjustment
period employees have second thoughts about the new schedule and trial
period may not be long enough to be through this period. Or if there is a
trial period, and employees have this initial negative reaction some may
-decide they do not like it, and not make the effort to adjust.
-55-
C> r-
G E
PERSONNEL DEPARTMENT
WILLIAM C. HART
Prrwipirt. (aorCTOn
4:0 CIVIC CI:HTCII oNIVC Wr.ST
SAIITA MIA. CAUroNIIIA 92701
11S4-2112•
ARCH COCIC 7I4
December 1, 1971
To: Department Heads and 4-Day Work 4leek Coordinators
Subject: 4-Day Work Week
I Many of you have responded to our letter and guide lines regarding the
4-day work week. We are pleased that some of you are conducting
feasibility studies regarding the possibility of this new schedule for
your operation. We have a little more information which are would like
to pass along to you at this time.
The County Counsel's Office answered us in a general letter regarding
the County ordinance regarding schedule of office hours. Basically we
feel that the present ordinance is operable in connection with the 4-day
work week unless departments are interested in doing other things along
with the change to the 4-day work week such as having the offices open
on Saturday or Sunday or closed on one of the regular Monday through
Friday days. This is particularly in relation to the office areas ,;%- ch
are open to the public for the transaction of business. If you are
considering doing either of the above please let us know immediately so
that we can discuss with you the possible necessity of a change its the
ordinance.
Because we do not anticipate a large portion of County employees being
put on a 4-day work week prior to next July when our current Memorandum
of Understanding expires, we have decided not to proceed with interim
negotiations regarding a change in the holiday schedule. Ole have however
already been in discussions with the Orange County Employees Association
regarding the implementation of the 4-day work week. Their reaction was
favorable to the plans of the Purchasing Department and the Employee
Development Division of the Personnel Department to begin now. As other
departments submit their plans we will discuss the planned implementations
with the OCEA.
Please continue to communicate your plans and progress regarding the 4-day
work week to Sharon Tucker in our Employee Relations Division (834-2837).
We must continue to review each proposal before it is implemented to
insure compliance with agreements with OCEA as well as County resolutions and
ordinances, W
�5
WILLIAM C. HART
Personnel Director
ST:jj -56-
talU,.P� - -
e
APPENDIX B
POLICE DEPARTMENTS IN CALIFORNIA ON 4-DAY
-57-
APPENDIX B 52/
POLICE DEPARTMENTS IN CALII)RNIA ON 4-DAY
Police Department: (10 - 25,000 Population)
Atwater
Delano
Santa Paula
Seal Beach
South Lake Tahoe
Palm Springs
Ukiah
Watsonville
Police_Deparcment: (25,000 & Above Population)
Baldwi.
Monterey
Belt Gardens
Monterey Park
Buena Park
Mountain View
Chula Vista
Oxnard
Compton
Pacifica
Corona
Pasadena
Costa Mesa
Redlands
Culver City (experimental)
Redondo Beach
Downey
Salinas
Fountain Valley
San Bernardino (experimental)
Gardena
San Diego
Garden Grove
San Jose
Glendale
San Rafael
Huntington Beach
Santa Barbara
Huntington Park
South Gate
La Mesa
Upland
Long Beach
Vallejo
Montebello
West Covina
i
52/ League of California Cities, "Is the 4-10 Plan an Appropriate Item
for Meet and Confer?" Labor Relations Newsletter, Vol. 1, No. 4,
December 1971, p. 10. See also: "Public Safety: The 4/40 Work-
week, The Municipal Yearbo^u, 1972, International City Management
Association, Washington, D. C., especially the "conclusions," p.
207, ("will increase efficiency....").
-58-
!416)
APPENDIX C
PROPOSED WOM, SCHEDULES ON 4—DAY, 37k HOURS
—59—
APPENDIX C
Proposed Work Schedules on 4-Day, 37� Hours
1. Monday through Thursday:
Monday k 7:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. 45 Minutes for Lunch
Tuesday -Thursday 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. 45 Minutes for Lunch
Tuesday through Friday:
Tuesday -Thursday 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. 45 Minutes for Lunch
Friday 7:40 a.m. to 6 p.m. 45 Minutes for Lunch
2. Monday through Thursday:
Monday 7:15 a.m.
to 5:45 p.m.
45 Minutes
for Lunch
Tuesday -Thursday 7:30 a.m.
to 5:30 p.m.
45 Minutes
for Lunch
Tuesday through Friday:
Tuesday-7hurtday 7:30 a.m.
to 5:30 p.m..
45 Minutes
for Lunch
Friday 7:15 a.m.
to 5:45 P.m.
45 Minutes
for Lunch ;
3. Monday through Thursday:
Monday 7:30 a.m.
to 5:30 p.m.
45 Minutes
for Lunch !
Tuesday 7:30 a.m.
to 5:30 p.m.
30 Minutes
for Lurch
Wednesday 7:30 a.m.
to 5:30 p.m.
30 Minutes
for Lunch
Thursday 7:30 a.m,
to 5:30 p.m.
45 Minutes
for Lunch
Tuesday through Friday:
Tuesday 7:30 a.m.
to 5:30 p.m.
45 Minutes
for LuncIt
Wednesday 7:30 a.m.
to 5:30 p.m.
30 Minutes
for Lunch
Thursday 7:30 a.m.
to 5:30 p.m.
30 Minutes
for Lunch
Friday 7:30 a.m.
to 5:30 p.m.
45 Minutes
for Lunch
Proposed Work Schedules on 4-Day,
40 Hours
1. Monday through Thursday:
Monday -Thursday 7:15 a.m.
to 6 p.m.
45 Minutes
for Lunch
Tuesday through Friday:
Tuesday- Friday 7:15 a.m.
to 6 P.m.
45 Minutes
for Lunch
-60-
3. Monday through Thursday:
Monday- Thursday 7:30 a.m. to 6:15 p.m.
Tuesday through Friday:
Miesday- Fri day 7:30 a.m. to 6:15 p.m.
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f�-
45 Minutes for Lunch
45 Minutes for Lunch
APPENDIX D
ORDINANCE OF CITY OF ATLANTA
1 -62-
APPENDIX D
ORDINANCE
BY FINANCE CQDJETTEE
AN ORDINANCE AUTHORIZING DEPARTMENT HEADS OF
` THE CITY OF AILANTA TO ESTABLISH FOUR -DAY,
FORTY -HOUR WORK WEFKS WITHIN THEIR DEPARTMENTS,
PRESCRIBING THE PROCEDURES THEREFOR, AND MODI-
FYING CERTAIN fiXISfiNG ORDINANCES SO AS TO PER.
MIT THE OPERATION OF A FOUR -DAY, FORTY -HOUR
WORT: WEEK ON AN EQUITABLE BASIS.
WHEREAS, it is the policy of the City of Atlanta to seek the max-
imum efficiency in the administration of government and to promote the 'best
interests of its employees; and
WHEREAS, the Mayor has proposed that the institution of a four -
day, forty -hour work week in one or more departments well might serve both
of said objectives; and
WHEREAS, this Board feels that the proposal is meritorious and
that authority should be provided for its implementation on a trial basis;
and
WHEREAS, observance of a four -day, forty -hour work week would be
in violation of certain existing ordinances of the City of Atlanta relating
to the work week of employees, the maximum hours of work per day, overtime
compensation, vacations, sick leave, etc., or would be detrimental to the
employees in view of the provisions of certain of those ordinances; and
WHEREAS, it is the intent and purpose of the Mayor. and Board of
Aldermen that all of said ordinances be modified, or their application be
restricted, with respect to those employees who may be under the trial pro-
gram of a four -day, forty -hour work week, to the end that such program will
not be in violation of existing law, and employees thereunder will not suffer
loss of benefits presenLly provided.
-63-
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE MAYOR AND BOARD OF ALDERMEN
OF THE CITY OF ATLANTA as follows:
SECTION 1. Subject to the conditions hereinafter set out, any Department
Head shall be authorized to adopt for his department, or for any
clearly defined division of his department, a four -day, forty -hour
work week, for a trial period not to exceed six months. The
following procedures shall be prerequisite:
(a) The Department Head shall prepare a written plan which
i shall set forth the specific department or division to be
,
covered, the proposed commencement date and the period of
4
time for which the plan is to be effective, the number of
employees to be covered, the specific hours of the proposed
work day (which shall constitute a normal work day), the
method by which all needed services are to be provided
during all days of the week, and such other matters as may
i be required by those whose approval of the plan is needed
under the provisions hereof;
(b) Copies of the plan shall be furnished to the Mayor, the
Personnel Director, and the Director of Finance;
(c) The plan must be approved by the Mayor, the Finance
Committee of the Mayor and Board of Aldermen, and the Per-
sonnel Board; and the Department Head shall secure written
evidence of such approvals, formal action by the Finance
Committee and the Personnel Board shall be required, and
such actions shall be recorded in the proceedings of those
respective bodies;
(d) Copies of each such plan, as finally approved, shall be
placed and maintained in the records of the Fi,iance Committee
and the Personnel Board;
and no such plan shall be put into effect until all of said procedures
shall have been accomplished.
SECTION 2. With respect to Section 21-2, Code of Ordinances of the City of
Atlanta, Georgia (Legal Holidays), the Department Head shall be
authorized to determine whether successful operation of the plan re-
quires -that any one or more employees work on a given holiday, and he
may require such work accordingly, provided that any employee who
works on a holiday at the direction of the Department Head shall be
given a holiday on some other working day which is not a holiday, and
this substitute holiday shall be given within twelve months of the
holiday on which he worked.
f
SD:TION 3. The provisions of Section 21-8, Code of Ordinances of the City
of Atlanta, Georgia (work day), shall stand modified to the extent t
that the same shall not be applicable to any employees operating under
a plan adopted and approved pursuant to the provisions of Section 1
above; but, as to such employees, the work day shall be as described
in said plan.
SECTION 4. For purposes of Paragraph (a) of Section 21-9, Code of Ordinances
of the City of Atlanta, Georgia (work week), the work week described in
a plan adopted and approved pursuant to the provisions of Section 1
above shall constitute a work week "otherwise specified" and the work
week so described shall be the work week for the employees operating
under such plan.
Six TION 5. The provisions of Paragraph (a) of Section 21-60, Code of
Ordinances of the City of Atlanta, Georgia (overtime compensation),
4
-65-
insofar as they require payment at the rate of one and one-half (W
times the regular rate for work in excess of eight (8) hours a day,
shall stand modified to the extent that the same small require over-
time paymertt to employees operating under a plan adopted and
approved pursuant to the provisions of Section 1 above only for work
in excess of ten (10) hours a day.
SECTION 6. The provisions of Paragraphs (1) and (2) of Section 21-94,
Code of Ordinances of the City of Atlanta, Georgia (Vacations), shall
stand modified to the extent that officers and employees operating
under a plan adopted and approved pursuant to the provisions of
Section 1 above shall accrue vacation leave at the rate of 10/52 a
day for each forty hours of paid service at straight Lime for
employees who have less than fifteen years of service, and at the
rate of 15/52 of a day for each forty (40) hours of paid service at
straight time for employees who have fifteen years of service or more.
All vacation time used will be charged by the actual hours taken.
SECTION 7. The provisions of the first paragraph of section 21-118, Code
of Ordinances of the City of Atlanta, Georgia (Sick Leave), shall
stand modified to the extent that officers and employees operating un-
der a plan adopted and approved pursuant to the provisions of Section 1
above shall accumulate sick leave with full pay computed on the basis
of k day for each forty (40) hours of paid service at straight time.
All sick leave used will be charged by the actual number of hours taker..
SECTION 8. With respect to any provisions of the Code of Ordinances of the
City of Atlanta, Georgia not specifically referred to herein, whether
heretofore or hereafter adopted, should the same create an unjust or
inequitable situation with respect to employees operating; under a plan
-66-
y"�
t
adopted and approved under the provisions of Section 1 above, such
provisions shall be construed or applied to those employees in such
manner as to give effect to the intent and purpose of the Mayor and
Board of. Aldermen as expressed in the preamble to this Ordinance.
SECTION 9. All ordinances and parts of ordinances in conflict herewith
are hereby repealed.
i
k
s ,
{ 7
,
iI
3�
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t i
-67"
r
Selected Bi bli oRrtp by
Bancroft, Gertrude. "Multiple Jobholders in December 1959,'t Monthly Labor
Review, LXXXIII (October 1960), pp. 1045-1051.
Bogen, Forrest A. and Hamel, Harvey R. «Multiple Jobholders in Diay 1963,11
Monthly Labor Review, LXXXVII (March 1964), pp. 249-257.
Crawford, .tames F.; Rutherford, William T.; !ud Cravie) Donald P. "The
Four -Day Work Week: The Atlanta Experience -- an Interim Report,"
Atlanta, Georgia, n. d.
Uar.kert, Clyde E.; i-fann, Floyd C.; and Northrup, Herbert R., eds. Hours
of Work, Industrial Relations Research Association Series, New York:
Harper & Row, 1965.
D)-nkert, Clyde E. "Shorter Hours -- In Theory and Practice,4# Industrial
and Labor Relations Review, April 1962, pp. 307-322.
Desimone, Vincent R., P.E. "The 4-Day Work Week and Transportation,$#
Presented at the American Association of State Highway Officials
Annual Meeting, Miami, Florida, December 6-10, 1971, pp. 21.
Faught, Millard C. More Timewealth for You, New York: Pyramid Books, 1970.
Greenbaum, Marcia L. The Shorter Workweek. Bulletin 50, Ithace, N.Y.:
New York State School of Industrial and Labor Relations at Cornell
University, June 1963.
Hamel, Harvey R. ((Moonlighting -- An Economic Phenomenon,11 Monthly Labor
Review, XC (October 1967), pp. 17-22.
Hamel, Harvey R. and Bogen, Forrest A. ((Multiple Jobholders in Diay 1964,11
Monthly Labor Review, LXXXVIII (March 1965), pp. 266-2',4.
Hayghe, Howard V., and Kopp, Michelotti. f(iultiple Jobholding in 1970 and
1971," Monthly Labor Review, XCIV (October 1971), pp. 38-45.
Hedges, Janice Neipert. "A Look at the 4-Day Workweek," Monthly Labor
Review, XCIV (October 1971), pp. 33-37.
Heinrich, R. P. 1150 Hour Weck,lt Memorandum from the City Manager of
Minnetonka, Minnesota to the Mayor and City Council, June 28, 1971.
Henle, Pgul. "Leisure and the Long Workweek,' Monthly Labor Review,
LMW.( (July 1966),.pp• 721-727.
-68-
Henle, Paul. "Rece:,Z Growth of Paid leisure for U.S. Workers," Monthly
Labor Review, LXXXV (:March 1962), pp. 249-257.
League of California Cities. "Is the 4-10 Plan an Appropriate Item for Meet
and Confer?" Labor Relations Newsletter, Vol. I, No. 4, December 1971.
Mabry, Bevars D. "Income -Leisure Analysis and the Salaried Professional,10
Industrial Relations, VIII (February 1969), pp. 162-173.
Martin, Neil A. "Can the Four -Day Week Work?" Dun's Review, July 1971,.
pp. 39-45 (apparent error -in pagination).
Moore, G. H. and Hodges, J. W. "Trends in Labor and Leisure," Monthly Labor
Review, XCIV (:ebruary 1971), pp. 3-16.
Moses, L. id. "Income, Leisure, and Wage Pressure," Economic Journal, LXXII
'
(June 1962), pp. 320-334.
i•Sossin, Jan and Bronkenbrenner, Martin. +'lice Shorter Workweek and the Labor
i�
Supply," Southern Economic Journal, XXXLII (January 1967), pp. 322-331.
Perrella, V. C. "Moonlighters: Their Motivations and Characteristics,"
t
s�
Monthly Labor Review, XCIII (August 1970), pp. 57-64.
;+
Poor, Riva, ed., 4 pays_, 40 Flours: Renortiny a Revolution in v!ork and Leisure
!
Cambridge, Mass.: Bursk and Poor Publishing, 1970.
;'
"Social Innovation: 4 Days -- 40 Hours," Columbia Journal of
World Business, (January 1971), pp. 91-96, '
Schiffnan, Jacob. "Multiple Jobholders in December 1960," monthly Labor
Review, LXXXIV (October 1961), pp. 1066-1073,
"Multiple Jobholders in May 1962,ft Monthly Labor Review, LXXXVI
(r;ay 1963), pp. 516-523.
Safi gel, Erwin 0. , ed., Mork and Leisure: A Co ,.emoorary Social Problem,
New Haven: College & University Press, 1963.
Walters, Roy 11. "A l,o:,g Term Look at the Shorter Workweek," The Personnel
Administration, (July -August 1971), pp. 12-14.
Wheeler, Kenneth E. "Squall Business Eyes the Four -Day Workweek," Harvard
BuMine:;s (ltview, (May -June 1970), pp. 142-147.
-69-
n