Its official….DWS is going to a 4-day work week! The governor passed an initiative indicating that all government agencies would be closed on Fridays as part of the Governor's 4 E's program: Energy, Environment, Employee Benefit and Extended Hours. There was much speculation on whether or not my office would be able to due so due to the fact that much of our work is guided by federal guidelines and policies. I won't bore you with the details, but we hear that being closed for 3 days in a row was not going to work for our agency. We later found out that rule doesn't apply. I thought this would be a way out of 4 10's. NOPE! We will start working 4 10's on August 4th. I am really quite not liking the idea and am not too excited about it, but do I have a choice? Not if I want to keep my job and get paid!
Advantages:
* Fridays off--3 day weekends every week.. some holidays fall on Thursday (christmas, thanksgiving, new years) this year so it is a 4 day weekend.
* I work at home, so I am already HOME and don't have travel time.
Disadvantages
* less holidays off. They were only going to pay us for 8 hour holidays and make us make up the other 2 hours on the 3 days that we worked( to make even longer days) that week or use our annual time, but instead they are taking away 2 days off (columbus day and veterans day). They say the old way we had 88 hours paid holiday and this gives us 90, but usually the governor gives us 4 hours time off during the holiday.. this year we only get 2.. Sneaky, isn't he! What a freak! And I voted for him? I obviously was not a state employee at the time!
* less flexibility--- 4 10's pretty much has no flexibility. With a 5 day work week, you can atleast make up hours that you didn't work yesterday today and throughout the week. NO more of that! I loved this part of it.. something comes up.. that is okay.. make up the time tommorow. GRR!! I will miss this!
* LONG DAYS!--our office will be open from 7-6 everyday although we will only have to do 10 hours, but I am not excited about long days. I get exhausted listening to people complain and cry after just 8 hours or less! :)
* having to use annual time for any appointments during the week.
* how are state employees supposed to do state related things.. drivers license, car registration, etc if they are closed on Friday too.. guess we use our annual then too.
* child care issues-- not that it applies to me.. but a lot of people have child care issues because day cares close at the latest 6 and don't have time to get the kids before they close
* not family friendly--we will always have LATE dinners and not a lot of time for family at night.
As you can tell, being the pessimist that I am.. I hate it and of course found more negative than positive!! I just really don't think it is going to save all this energy and crap.. not if everyone is driving all over on Friday's for their errands! I just think it is lame, but again, I am grateful I have a job and I will do it because I have no other choice! I am just not a fan of Mr. Huntsman!
Zach
This picture is really dark, but it is Spencer.. I think it is so funny he is crossing his legs!
Father and son!
Sitting around enjoying creamies and the couples telling the kids how we met! The older ones enjoyed it, but the younger ones were super bored and doing other things! It is fun to have those memories!
Kristi and Brigham
exhausted from the heat..
Playing ball:
