Utah Goes to Four-Day Work Week to Save Energy

As part of Utah’s effort to reduce its energy use by 20% by 2015, most state employees are moving to a four-day work week as of August 2008. About 17,000 people—80% of state workers—are working from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday. The State expects to save about $3 million in energy costs annually by closing offices on Fridays, and expects the move to cut greenhouse gas emissions in the state by reducing the frequency of workers’ commutes.

Rex Facer, a Brigham Young University professor who is studying the four-day work week, has found that about a sixth of U.S. cities with over 25,000 people offer the option of such a schedule; most states also offer the four-day option. Utah, however, is the first state to mandate the shorter week. Governor John Huntsman Jr. plans to evaluate the schedule after a year and decide whether to continue it.