Four-Day Work Week Gaining Popularity To Save Energy

June 16, 2008 7:50 a.m. EST

Washington, D.C. (AHN) - Rising oil prices are hitting budgets hard, including school systems and city governments, resulting in some entities deciding to cut back to four day work weeks in to save fuel and energy costs.

The cost-cutting measure means that employees eliminate one day's round-trip commute and also allow public employers to save on electricity as they turn lights off and thermostats up on the extra day when no one is in the building.

The Carteret County school district in North Carolina has become one of the latest to adopt a four-day work week in an effort to combat rising energy costs that were sapping its budget. Although right now plans call for returning to a five-day week on Aug. 8 in time for the new school year.

But until then the school will shut off lights, turn thermostats up to 82 degrees and park maintenance and transportation vehicles for three days a week to save energy and lower fuel and utility expenses.

Carteret County has adapted the schedule for all parts of the school system.

The Hoover city school system in Alabama is doing the same thing for the summer, except it will still run summer school classes five days a week. Officials there reportedly say if the program saves money they will do it again next year.

Officials elsewhere have adapted more ambitious plans.

The MACCRAY School District in Maynard, Minnesota reportedly expects to save 1 percent of its budget by switching to a four-day school week year-round beginning in the fall.

Birmingham, Alabama city government officials also expect to save big by going to a four-day work week with employees working 10 hour days. They also estimate that the change will save city workers between $500,000 to $1 million in personal fuel costs for driving to and from work.

It is part of trend that includes telecommuting. Various surveys have found that between 23 to 38 percent of all U.S. companies offer some sort of compressed or abbreviated work-week.