Shelby County approves four-day schedule for most employees

Bettina Puckett, Shelbyville News Staff Writer

Hoping to save energy costs and give employees a morale boost, the Shelby County Board of Commissioners Monday evening unanimously approved a new four-day work schedule for employees who work in the county's highway department and in the courthouse annex.

Shelby County will join many local and state governments around the country that are transitioning into a four-day work week, primarily because of high fuel prices. This summer, Utah will become the first state to institute a mandatory four-day work week for most state employees.

Tony Newton, president of the commissioners, said that he has received a number of positive comments from department heads, elected officials and the general public about the idea.

"Everybody in this whole building except one person wants it," Newton said. "I think it will pick up the morale of the people. They will look forward to the long weekends."

At last week's meeting, Newton explained that county employees currently work a seven-hour day, Monday through Friday, totaling 35 hours a week. But if the county switches to a nine-hour-a-day, four-day week - Monday through Thursday - county employees would actually work one more hour a week, for a total of 36 hours.

The impacted employees will start their four-day work week on Monday, Newton said.

Although the idea seems to be a good fit for highway and annex employees, the commissioners held off on expanding the new schedule to other county workers. At this point, employees who work for Shelby County's three judges, the clerk's office and the sheriff's department will keep their five-day work weeks.

Newton said he recently learned that Shelby County Clerk Carol Stohry's office is required to be open five days a week. Shelby County Circuit Court Judge Charles D. O'Connor Jr. is the only person who can change that office's schedule, Newton said.