U.S. Personnel Office Calls 4-Day, 10-Hour Week Unworkable
By ARI PAUL
The U.S. Office of Personnel Management has objected to the U.S. House of Representatives Majority Leader's call for a new workweek consisting of four 10-hour days for Federal employees.

MICHAEL HAGER: Bad for government and workers.

U.S. Rep. Steny Hoyer proposed in a letter to OPM officials last month making the alternative workweek universal for Federal workers in an effort to boost morale and cut down on commuting. But in a letter responding to the Maryland Democrat Aug. 29, Acting OPM Director Michael Hager said such a plan would be "detrimental to the Federal Government's ability to provide essential services" and weaken national security.

Fears Negative Effect on Staff

"We also are concerned about forcing employees into a work schedule that could negatively affect recruitment and retention," Mr. Hager said. "As you know, many Federal employees have responsibilities for caring for young children or aging adults. Others are dependent on mass transit or carpools for transportation to and from their worksite. They could be negatively impacted by a requirement to work the extended hours required by a 10-hour day."

Mr. Hager added that Federal law already allowed agencies to offer employees alternative work schedules.

"Recent statistics estimate that over 50 percent of the workforce has a flexible work schedule of one type or another," he said. "We strongly believe the current system is effective and is already helping Federal employees reduce fuel consumption."

Greg Heineman, the president of the National Council of Social Security Management Associations, echoed this sentiment.

Cites Extra Day Off in Place

"Field Office employees in Social Security Field Offices already have a wide variety of flexibilities in their work schedule, including a 5-4-9 pay period option, which allows one day off every 10 days with eight nine-hour work days and one eight-hour work day making up the 80 hours in the two week period," he said in an e-mail. "Social Security Field Employees also may earn credit hours of up to 1.5 to two hours a day depending on the size of the facility that can also be used to adjust work schedules."

National Treasury Employees Union President Colleen M. Kelley, who supported Congressman Hoyer's proposal, voiced disappointment with Mr. Hager's rejoinder.

"OPM's response shows it is not interested in providing substantive guidance and leadership on this issue," she said in a statement. "In contract negotiations, NTEU consistently presses management to include provisions giving employees options other than the traditional five-day office work week. Leadership from OPM on this issue would help advance the case for non-traditional schedules in agencies that remain resistant."