Utah Adopts 4-Day Work Week To Save Energy

SALT LAKE CITY  — Are you getting a four-day work week this week?You will if you live in Utah.  A lot of folks in Utah will be getting one every week.

In an effort to cut energy use, the state of Utah is giving its employees a longer weekend. Utah is about to become the first state to switch to a four-day workweek for thousands of government employees.

Workers will put in 10-hour days, Monday through Thursday, and have Fridays off. Their pay will stay the same, but they’ll have an extra day to golf, shop or spend time with the kids.

The order issued by Governor Jon Huntsman covers about 17,000 of Utah’s 4,000 executive-branch employees. State police officers, prison guards, court employees and public university workers aren’t covered by the new rules.

While many people are excited about the plan, it could prove inconvenient for those who need to use state services and find certain offices closed on Fridays.

The effort is expected to save the state millions in energy costs.