COMPRESSED WORK SCHEDULES
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A Study 3y
The DFEB Clean Air Committee
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FOREWORD
The Denver Federal Executive Board is deeoly concerned about Oenve-
problems of traffic congestion, air pollution anc tne developing
gasoline shortage. A clean air committee has teen established to
coordinate efforts of the Federal community in dealing with these
proolems. The commttee is recoimend i ng compressed work week scha:
ules be adopted by Federal agencies in the Denve' rcetro area to
reduce Federal employee comnuting traffic while increasing the hoj-
of service to the public. We recognize that Secajse of various rr-s
sions and levels of employment, some agencies will not be able to
participate in the effort. However, the committee urges all reg:
officials to study this compilation of mformat'an. Ue further urg
cooperation wherever possible in making the comoressed work scheai/i
a meaningful contribution by Federal management and employees towa-
alleviating air pollution and gasoline shortage problems.
Robert Dunn
Denver Federal Executive i:i
SBA Region 3 Director
Alan Herson
r" istrator
Victor Pstralia
CPSC Region 3 Director
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INDEX
Page
I Narrative Description of DFEB Compressed Work Schedule 1
II Definitions 5
III Federal Employee Statistics 6
IV Suimiary of Key Provisions of Public Law 95-390 7
V Questions and Answers About the Experimental Flexible
and Compressed Work Schedules Program 9
VI Compressed Schedule Designs 11
VII Projected Costs and/or Savings 16
VIII Congressional Findings and Presidential Intent 26
IX Research Findings 33
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I
NARRATIVE DESCRIPTION OF OFEB COMPRESSED
WORK SCHEDULE
"Business as usual" will ccme to an end for a majority of Federal
employees in the Denver Metro area who add 10-hour work days to on-
going efforts aimed at reduction of air pollution problems. The
public will, in the process, have an extra 10 hours each week to do
business in some Federal offices.
Since May 4, 1978, when President Jitmiy Carter personally
promised Denver Metro residents the full support of Federal agencies
in combating air pollution, a number of steps have been taken. These
include: All Federal agencies of the DFEB and FRC in Denver have
signed a memo of agreement which commits them to a review of indi-
vidual operations, coning into canpliance with applicable standards
and development of additional programs to enhance the Denver air
environment; Emphasis on car pooling with special parking privileges;
extra bicycle parking racks; more frequent government vehicle tuneups
and emissions testing; free emissions testing for private vehicles;
special awareness sessions on use of mass transit and establishmeni:
of a clean air task force, as well as a special clean air comnittee
of the Denver Federal Executive Board.
The 10-hour work day will potentially reduce the number of trips
to and from work for participating Federal employees by up to 20 per-
cent. Employees will work four 10-hour days. Since days will be
staggered with some refraining from travel on Mondays and some on
Fridays, the result will actually be an expansion of some offices to
50 hours per week, an extra availability of 10 hours.
There are now 28,082 Federal employees representing 93 civilian
agencies in the Denver Metro area. An estimated 20,000 private
vehicles are utilized in transporting these employees to ana from
work on a Monday through Friday basis. According to EPA data, if the
total vehicle miles for 5-day per week work travel is reduced by uo
to 20 percent, the snount of pollution generated will be reduced for
the week correspondingly.
In addition to the reduced number of trips with the work force
putting in 10-hour rather than eight-hour days, travel times will
cnange. Expansion of work hours for a given day will place Federal
employee vehicles on the road earlier and later, and consequently,
redistribute traffic volume within peak hours. Specific pollution
•measurements will be taken before and after the program starts. This
will provide orecise measures of the impact on air pollution.
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Tn addition to air pollution abatement, there will be a reduction
in gasoline consumption at a critically important time. Given the
number of variables including age, size and condition of vehicles
involved, specific data on energy savings is difficult to accumu-
late. With, however, a 15 miles per gallon average, counting traffic
signal stops and slow downs at congestion areas, the savings in fuel
for the private conveyance of Federal employees could approximate
1,290,000 gallons annually. The average auto could make 774 trips
around We world on this total. Expressed another way, 1,290,000
gallons of gasoline would fill the 20- gallon tanks of 64,500
vehicles. The average round trip for Federal employee camnuter is
approximately 19 miles. On a representative winter day, it is esti-
mated Denver metro area vehicles comnuting to work produce 900 tons
of carbon monoxide. Federal employee vehicles produce 47.7 tons of
that total. The Federal contribution to the total is sufficient to
fill 1.4 railroad tank cars daily.
In 1978, daily work trip vehicle miles totaled approximately
7,274,000 for the Denver metro area. Conrnutmg federal employees
accounted for 380,000 vehicle miles daily, or 5.3 percent of this
total.
Some Federal employees commute daily from Colorado Springs and
Boulder. Assuming that compressed workweek employees will not use
their cars as extensively on the fifth day, a 20% reduction in
vehicle use may result in a corresponding increase in venicle life-
spans, and a reduction in auto accidents.
For a number of years, the Federal Government has experimented
with "Flex-time" recognizing the need to spreaa government employee
work travel 1n abating traffic congestion and in at least scne
instances facilitating employment of those with family and personal
time obligations.
On September 29, 197 8, the "Federal Employees Flexible and Com-
pressed Work Schedules Act of 1978" was enacted as Public Law 95-390.
Colorado members of the U.S. House of Representatives voted
unanimously in support of the Act which was approved by voice in the
U.S. Senate. Both Senators fran Colorado supported the measure.
The Act authorizes Federal agencies to conduct a three-year
experiment with flexible and compressed employee work schedules.
Both the Act and subsequent regulations place great emphasis on the
agreement and cooperation of employees themselves before experimental
programs are adopted. The Act also makes possible the suspension of
certain overtime pay provisions during the experiment.
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Washington officials of 0PM are enthusiastic about plans for 3
compressed work week schedule in Denver. The Metro ares is second
only to Washington in the number of agencies represented and as a
consequence will afford an unequalled opportunity for a controlled
experiment.
In some instances, it may not be possible for an agency in Denver
to participate in the compressed work week experiment. This may be
true not only becuase of the specific type of service provided but
the small number of employees as well.
Managerial problems may be increased as a result of requirements
that offices be staffed through 50 hours so as to actually expand
public service periods but with reduced forces on Mondays and Fridays.
Ourlng the core days, Tuesday through Thursday, full forces would be
present In offices.
Private business providing services to numbers of Federal
anployees may discover a change in hours of patronage resulting from
the compressed work week. Mass transit may also realize a change in
ridership patterns as Federal employees in large numbers move out of
previous peak rider periods.
Representatives of RTD have indicated a willingness to expand
operational schedules to accommodate the anticipated change in work
hours and vrtierever possible assist in the experiment.
The Act took effect March 29, however, given the magnitude of the
changes, it is anticipated few, if any, could be ready to initiate
the experiment prior to mid-sunnier.
A special coimnttee of the DFEB has been at work since February
22 developing preliminary plans for procedures to be followed on the
compressed work week as well as ongoing efforts in other fields to
combat air pollution and in the process reduce energy consumption.
All experiments on compressed work schedules must be under way by
September 30, 1979.
There are other alternatives in the general area of compressed
work week schedules. These and documentation for data used thus far
are included in later pages of this report.
Thirty one non-federal employers in the Denver Metro area who are
using or have used comoressed work schedules, have been contacted.
Not all responded fully to each question.
Twenty four of those polled said there either was no change, or
improved productivity resulted. Twenty one stated there was improve-
ment in employee morale.
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There were fran four to 750 employees per firm on compressed work
schedules. The employer with 750 employees was, C.A. Norgren of
Littleton. The firm manufactures pneumatic parts for industrial
machinery. A sunmation of their comnents read:
C.A. Norgren Company, 5400 S. Delaware St., Littleton, 30120.
Phone 794-2611
All employees at Norgren are on abbreviated work mode schedules.
35i of the 750 employees are on 1 * 10 modes, 151 are on 3 x 12
modes. The company is open 7:00 an to 5:30 pm Monday through
Wednesday, frcm 7:00 am to 4:00 pm on Thursday and it is closed on
Friaays, Saturdays and Sundays. Workers universally prefer the 3 x
12 mode and this group reflect the highest improvement in produc-
tivity. Management feels that 4 x 10 mode also provides higher
productivity than the old 5x8 mode which was discontinued in June,
1970. Because of the pioneering Norgren has done in abbreviated work
week modes, it has been written up in the Wall Street Journal on
three occasions.
Questions asked of the 31 firms included:
Has the modified work week affected the productivity of your operation?
Much improved 3 It has not worked very well 1
Some improvement 14 Our productivity has gone down 1
No difference 7 It has been a disaster 0
Has the modified work week affected the morale of the employees?
Much improved 12 Morale seems slightly down 1
Some improvement 9 Morale seems seriously down 0
No difference 2 It has been a disaster 5"
How long has the program been in operation? 1-9 vears
Htw does management feel about the program? Comnents ranged fran "mixea
f'eelinqs." "favor," to
¦fantastic'
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II
DEFINITIONS
Public Law 95-390
5 USC 6101
TITLE II I Special Rules)
Title V (Regular Rules)
Basic Work Requirement - Number of hours
(except overtime hours) an employee is
required to work (or account for by leave).
Synonymous with tour of duty.
Compressed Schedule - Basic work require-
ment which is scheduled for less than 10
days within a biweekly pay period.
Overtime Hours - Any hours in excess of
the compressed schedule for full-time
employees.
Premium Pay/Absence i. Leave
Overtime Pay - Employee is paid for over-
time hours under the current provisions of
law. Regular rules for overtime pay do
not apply to work performed within the
compressed schedule.
Sunday Pay - An employee who performs
nonovertime work on a tour of duty for
any workday, a part of which is performed
on a Sunday, is entitled to premium pay
for the entire tour of duty.
Holiday Pay - An employee who performs
work on a holiday is entitled to premium
pay for such work which is not in excess
of the compressed schedule for that day.
Compensatory Time Off - Applies
to GS employees. Used in Hen
of payment for irregular or
occasional overtime work only.
Night Pay - Regular rules apply.
Premium pay for regularly sche-
duled nightwork.
Holiday (as a Day off) - Pay for
"ordinary day's work." employee
entitled to straight time pay
for compressed work schedule.
Leave & Excused Absences -
Regular rules apply.
BASIS UORK REQUIREMENT"
Dally
Weekly
Biweekly
4-day
10
40
80
3-day
13/20
40
80
5-4/9
9
.
80
5
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Ill
FEDERAL EMPLOYEE STATISTICS
1. Number of Federal employees in the Denver Standard Metropolitan
Statistical Area (SMSA).
28,082 (Source: 11/77 Office of Personnel Management's
Central Personnel Data File figures of total Federal employ-
ment)
2. Percentage of the total workforce in the Denver SMSA that is
Federally employed.
Total nonagricultural jobs - 656,000
Federal - 4.6*
(Source: Colorado State Department of Labor, Research Division)
3. Number of Federal employees working in the downtown Denver area.
Non-Postal - 5,807 (Source: GSA Operation !¦ Planning Sranch)
Postal - 2,351* (Source: Personnel Office, Oenver Post
Office)
Total - 3,i58
*(1530 of 2351 work from 5:00 pm to 5:00 am in the Terminal Annex;
200 of 2351 are classified as part-time, but work almost
full-time.)
4. Percentage of Federal employees working downtown out of total
downtown area workforce.
Total downtown employment - 83,000 (Source: Downtown Denver,
Inc.)
Non-Postal Federal - 5,307 - 7X
Postal - 2,351 - 2.3X
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IV
SUMMARY OF THE KEY PROVISIONS OF
PUBLIC LAU 95-3TO
H.R. 7814, passed by the House of Representatives on May 25, and by
the Senate on September 15, was signed into law by the President on
September 29, 1978. During the next few months the Office of Per-
sonnel Management staff will be meeting and consulting with agency
and union representatives to discuss implementation of the bill.
Sane initial orientation sessions have been conducted throughout the
country to introduce agencies to the new scheduling possibilities.
Other sessions will be scheduled upon request. The following are the
major provisions of titles I through III of P.t. 95-390:
I. Establishment of a three year test program to experiment with a
full range of flexible and compressed work schedules.
2. Development of a master plan by the Office of Personnel Manage-
ment, in cooperation with other agencies, to implement the test
program.
3. While participation 1n these programs will be voluntary an the
part of Executive branch agencies, the Office of Personnel
Management is authorized to require selected agencies to partici-
pate if this 1s necessary in order to ensure the overall quality
of the experimental program.
4. Where an anployee union has exclusive recognition introduction of
these programs will be accanplished through the collective
bargaining process.
5. Any agency experiment may be terminated by the Office of Per-
sonnel Management, or the agency if it determines that the
experiment is not in the best interest of the public, the govern-
ment or the employees, or if it Is determined that any organiza-
tion with the agency participating in the experiment is being
handicapped in carrying out its functions.
6. Provides protection against the coercion of employees concerning
participation in flexible or ccmpressed schedule experiments
under title I or II. In addition, any employee for whom a com-
pressed schedule would impose a personal hardship shall be
excepted fron participation in an approved experiment.
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-.'5 inz r.~ ".19 *.h*es year experiment pe*iod the Office of
i-zsnsir snail -eport the results of experiments
:::c t-.e 3-esicent, Soeaker of the House, and President
jrz :3nDOre of :fia Senate. The Office of Personnel Management
snail also -a
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V
0 t A ABOUT THE EXPERIMENTAL FLEXIBLE AND COMPRESSED
wM SCHEDULES PROGRAM
1. What is the the purpose of Public Law 95-390, the Federal
Employees Flexible and Compressed Work Schedules Act of 1373?
The basis purpose of the Act is to establish a 3-year controlled
experiment in the use of flexible and compressed work schedules
for employees of the Executive branch in order to determine what
impact - both positive and negative - these alternatives to
traditional work schedules may have on Government operations,
service to the public, energy consumption, mass transit facili-
ties, quality of life for individuals and families, as well as
encouraging the entrance into the Federal labor force of talented
and skilled personnel unable to work standard hours.
2. What are compressed work schedules?
Under a compressed schedule the 40 hour workweek is compressed
into fewer than five working days per week or less than 10 work-
ing days in a two-week period. The most common compressed work
schedules are the four-day week, the three-day week and the 5-4/9
plan, under which employees work slightly less than 9 hours per
day over 9 out of ten days of the biweekly pay period in orcsr to
gain an additional day off every other week.
3. What are flexible schedules?
Flexible work schedules or flexitime, is any schedule wmch oro-
vides employees a measure of control over their own working
hours. Flexitime breaks the workday Into two distinct kinds of
time: core time is the portion of the day when all employees rcust
be at work and flexible time is the portion of the workday when
the employee has the option of choosing a starting and Quitting
time, within prescribed limits.
4. Why is it necessary to anend laws to conduct tests with flexible
and compressed work schedules?
Although Federal agencies have used flexitime for a numoe- af
years, they have been mnibited from using sophisticated ?l5xi-
time schedules (schedules in which employees may vary the number
of hours worked on a given day, week or longer period) aid all
forms of compressed schedules. Until now, the permanent sro^i-
sions of the overtime pay laws for Federal smDloyees na\e
required overtime pay for any hours worked in excess of 2 in a
day or 40 in a week. These laws make no provision for ano'oyee
choice. Under the temporary provisions of Public Law 35-390,
these laws will ae temporarily suspended.
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How will the experiment oe conducted?
^11 agencies will he allowed to conduct as many experiments with
flexible and compressed work schedules as they wish under a pro-
gram coordinated by the Office of Personnel Management. Agencies
will be required to notify the Office of Personnel Management
that they are conducting experiments and will be required to
supply certain data about the work force, functional work group
functions and activities and the outcomes of their experiment.
This fnformation is necessary so that selected agencies with the
proper characteristics can be included in the sample that will be
monitored and analyzed by the Office of Personnel Management and
upon which the report to the President and Congress, with recom-
mendations for permanent changes in the law, can be made. It is
very important that sufficient experiments (approximately 240 is
the minimum number needed to produce valid results) be conducted
in agencies with diverse characteristics. A set of implementa-
tion procedures has been developed and the Office of Personnel
Management will conduct orientation sessions and provide tech-
nical advice and assistance, a training program, regulations and
educational materials for agencies participating in the
experiment.
6. What provision is made for union participation in establishing an
experiment?
In units represented by a union, the Act reauires the introduc-
tion of these programs only through the collective bargaining
process. In organizations where there is no union, compressed
schedules may be introduced only if a majority of employees vote
to be included in the experiment.
7. Won't this Act eliminate overtime pay?
Absolutely not. Overtime pay will still continue to be paid in
those instances when management orders overtime work in advance.
It will not be paid when an employee exercises his or her per-
sonal choice (either individually or as a result of union nego-
tiations with management) to work the 40 day, 10 hour per day
schedule.
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VI
COMPRESSED SCHEDULE DESIGNS
A. Compressed Schedules
Compressed work schedules nay take a variety of forms. The most
cannon ccmpressed schedule 1s the 4-day/10 hours-a-day model referred
to as the 4/40 schedule. However, a compressed schedule Is any
schedule which enables the full-time employee to complete the basic
work requirement of SO hours in less than ten full work days in each
biweekly pay period. For employees working under compressed sched-
ules overtime pay will continue to be paid for overtime hours which
are officially ordered by an agency official ana which exceed the
basic work requirement. While compressed schedules have not
generally been used in Federal agencies, private sector firms have
used such schedules 1n computer operations, and to increase service
to their customers (e.g., by splitting the workforce with some
employees working Monday through Thursday and others working Tuesday
through Friday, an organization could be open to serve the public by
two additional hours each day).
(I) Four-Oay Compressed Schedule
4-Day Week
Hours Worked
Total Hours Worked Weekly = 40
-BASIC WORK REQUIREMENT IS 10 HOURS EACH EAr ANC -0 HOURS EACH
WEEK.
"HIS EONFTGURATION ALLOWS EMPLOYEES TO -.-.'E A ?ijt
AL5C A-LOWS AGENCY TO EXPAND :7S iZR.::7 " "-E ?(JBLlr 3Y '
-CURS 3ER DAY SO THAT THE AGENCY «XLL 5E "EN -E3. EuSINESE :G
-GLjR S <(EE<.
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(2) Three-Day Compressed Schedule
3-Day Week
M
T
W
Th
F
S
k^.v::". - GROUP a
GROUP B
GROUP B
GROUPB
HOURSWORKED
13 hoys, 20mmu'es
l3hours. 20mmutes
13hours 20miriutes
13 nours. 20 mmutes
13hours 20mmutes
13 Hours 20 minutes
Total Hours Worked Weekly, GROUP A = 40
Total Hours Worked Weekly GROUP B = <»o
-FULL-TIME EMPLOYEES WORK 40 HOURS. 3 DAYS EACH WEEK
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(3) 5-4/9 Plan
5-4/9 Plan
WEEK 1
GROUP A
Hours
Approximately
9 hours a day
WEEK 2
GROUP B
Hours
Approximately
9 hours a day
Total Hours Worked Biweekly, Group A = 80
Total Hours Worked Biweekly, Group 8 = 80
THIS CONFIGURATION ALLOWS EMPLOYEES TO HAVE A LONG WEEKEND <3 OAYS)
EVERY OTHER WEEK: THE AGENCY EXPANDS ITS SERVICE TO THE PUBLIC 3Y ONE
HOUR PER DAY 50 THAT THE AGENCY WILL BE OPEN FOR 3USINESS 45 HOURS
PER WEEK. FATIGUE IS LESS OF A FACTOR 'HAN WITH THE 4 DAY~WORKWEEK.
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VII
EXISTING WORK SCHEDULE
This is the base c;s~ to which Alternatives 1, 2 and 3 are later
compared. This has 23,100 employees on a 5-day, 40-hour seek.
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DENVER METRO AREA 8UILDtNGS OPERATION COST ANALYSIS (10-HOUR 3AY)
Five 3-Hour Oays, Existing Work Schedule
The figures below relfect operating costs for fiscal year 1973. While it
is expected the costs will increase for any future period, no effort was
made to escalate the figures. It should be noted, however, that the
utility figures shown were quite low due to a very mild winter. The 1979
costs have increased so far by 25%.
The operating costs are as follows:
DENVER METRO AREA
FY78 Actual Usage and Costs
For F1ve-0ay/S-Hour Operation
BTU's Cost Sals, of Gasoline
Government Buildings (3,394,105 Occ. 5q. Ft.)
Heating and Cooling (70*) 373,366 * 106 $1,304,553 6,986,923
Lighting (25*) 311,916 x 106 465,913 2,495,323
1,135,282 x 10® SI,770,471 9,482,256 j
Ceased Buildings (Approx. 1,700,000 Occ. Sq. Ft.)
"Heating and Cooling (70X) 419,216 x 106 S 626,188 3,353, 725
"Lightning (25*) 149,719 x 106 223,638 1,197,757
568,935 x 10s S 849,326 4,551,482
Custodial and maintenance costs reflected on the "Denver Metre Area Cost
Analysis"
Lease costs were determined by applying the rates for services at the
Federal Building-Custom House and Federal Building and Courthouse,
Denver. These rates were custodial S.30/sq. ft., crafts S.55/sa. ft.,
and utilities $.55/sq. ft. These costs are part of the lease and as such
are not paid directly by the government.
•Using 125,000 PTU's/gallon of gasoline.
••Actual figures not available; calculated as 48* of government buildings
(1,700,000 divided by 3,594,105 > «8X).
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3-GJECTED COSTS AND/OR SAVINGS
ALTERNATIVE 1
This alternative assumes that 23,100 federal emoloyees would work a
four-cjy week, 10 hours per day and that one-half of the work force
wouli -ark Monday-Thursday and the other half 'would work Tuesday-
Friday. This alternative thus has three core days, Tuesday-Thursday
wtien all employees are present. Since employees would only be work-
ing four days per week, a JO percent average daily reduction in
comrmtmg vehicle miles traveled (VMT) would be expected. The actual
reductions in VMT would be confined to only Monday and Friday with
VMT being unaffected during the care days. Only half as many pollu-
tants would be generated on Mandays and F'idays as compared to a core
day.
a:
r
o •
334,000
192,000
192,000
MondayTuesdayWednesday Thursday Friday
Commuting VMT by federal employees
in the Denver metropolitan area.
Annual VMT
77,414,400
Reductions in VMT compared to
Existing Uork Schedule
Annual VMT
Gasoline used Dy federal anoloyees
for conmuting (15 miles per gallon)
19,353,600
Annual
4. Savings in gallons compared
to Existing Work Schedule
Annual-gallons
Annual cost savings ® SO.75 per gallon
5,161,000
1,290,000
$967,500
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5. Pollutants generated in tons per day, core days
Hydrocarbons (HC) 3.5
Carbon Monoxide (CO) 47.7
Nitrogen Oxides (N0X) 0.9
Particulates (TSP) 0.1
6. Pollutants generated in tons per day,
Mondays and Fridays
Hydrocarbons (HC) 1.8
Carbon Monoxide (CO) 23.3
Nitrogen Oxides (NQX) 0.5
Particulates (TSP) negligible
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3ENVES METRO AREA BUILDINGS OPERATION COST ANALYSIS (13-HOUR DAY)
Alternative #1
Five-Day Ccmpressed Schedule
£ne--:y Management:
The projected increased utility cost by going to a five-day, 10-iour work
week in lieu of the present five-day week, 18-hour work week follows for
the Denver Metro Area.
3TU's Gals, of Gasoline* Line**
Government 3uildings
Heating and Cooling 17a,673 * lof $260,912 1,397,384
Lighting 62,383 x 106 93,183 499,064
237,056 * 10° $354,095 1,396,448 Ic
Leased 3uildings
Heating and Cooling 33,343 x 10° $125,238 670,744
Lighting 29,944 * 10° 44,728 239,532
113,787 x iO6 $169,966 910,296
Total Increase Usage 350,343 x 10® $524,061 2,306,744 Ig
The f'gures were derived by computing the percentage of hours of
inc-eased operations. Assume the utilities operation is 10 hours longer
per week than the current 3-hour, five-day operation.
Operating Hours:
iO hours x 5 days » 50 hours
12 hours x 5 days * 60 hours
Increase * TO hours or approximate 20* increase
This factor is then applied to the actual usage data for last year.
The increased cost in lease space is computed by taking the oercentage of
the leased space versus government-owned space and applying it to the
government increased costs. That percentage is -18%. This increased cost
will be realized when lessors increase, the rent.
Custodial Management:
Operating five 10-hour days per week would have no significant increase
in cleaning costs over the present 3-hour, five-day week. Line lb
"Covertlng STU's into gallons of gasoline using 125,000 BTU's/gallon of
gas.
"Indicates the figures shown on the "Denver Metro Area 3uilding Opera-
tions Cost Sunmary." (Shown later.)
IS
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Maintenance ''lanaqement:
The addition of two hours per day would increase operations from 40
hours to 50 hours per week, or by 25%. Toi
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ALTERNATIVE 2
This alternative assumes that 28,100 federal employees would work a
four-day week, 10 hours per day, that they would all work the same
four days, and that federal government offices would be closed three
days per week. This alternative would only be implemented during an
energy crisis. Conmuting vehicle miles traveled (VMT) by federal
employees would be reduced by 20 percent on an average daily basis,
but the actual reduction would take place on either Monday or
Friday. There would be no pollutants generated on Friday by federal
employees' vehicles since offices would be closed.
= :
1
384,000
-0-
2.
3.
4.
5.
Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday
Conmuting VMT by federal emoloyees in
the Denver metropolitan area.
Annual
Reduction in VMT compared to
Existing Work Schedule
Annual VMT
Gasoline used by federal employees
for commuting (15 miles per gallon)
Annual
Savings in gallons compared
to Existing Work Schedule
Annual-gal Ions
Annual cost savings
77,414,000
19,353,000
5,161,000
SO.75 per gallon
Pollutants generated in tons per day, Monday through Thursday
1,290,000
S967.500
Hydrocarbons (HC)
Carbon Monoxide (CO)
Nitrogen Oxides (N0X)
Particulates (TSP)
3.5
47.7
0.9
0.1
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DENVER METRO AREA 3UIL0INGS OPERATION COST ANALYSIS [lO-HOUR 0AY)
Alternative *2
Four-Oay Compressed Schedule
The utility savings ay going to a 'our-oay work week 'in lieu of a
five-day week in the Denver Metro area are as follows.
STU's Gals, of Gasoline* Line**
Government Buildings
Heating and Cooling 43,668 x 10s S 60,223 319,344
Lighting 15,596 x 106 23,296 124,763
59,264 x 10° $38,524 474,112 !Ic
Leased Buildings
Heating and Cooling
Lighting
Total Savings
20,961 x 10® $ 31,309
7,486 x 10° 11,182
23,447 x 106 S 42,491
37,711 x 106 5131,015
157,6S8
59,388
227,376
701,685 I Ig
The figures were derived by computing the percentage of hours of reduced
operation. Assuming the utilities operation is 2 hours longer than the
current 3-hour, five-day operation, or 50 hours as canpared to a 12-hour,
four-day operation, or 48 hours.
Operating Hours:
10 hours x 5 days = 50 hours
12 hours x 4 days » 48 hours
Increase » ~? hours or approximate 51
This factor is then applied to the actual usage data for last year.
The lease savings is computed by taking the percentage of the leased
space versus government-owned space and applying it to the government
usage data. That percentage is 485!. This savings will be realized by
the government only if the leases for these owner services buildings can
be renegotiated.
~Coverting STU's into gallons of gasoline using 125,000 BTU's/gallon of
gas.
"Indicates the figures shown on the "Denver Metro Area Building
Operations Cost Suntnary."
21
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Custodial Management
The estimated dollar savings that may be realized by going to a
four-day, 10-'raur *ork *eek instead of the five-day, 3-hour work week
in the Denver Metro Area is:
Line
Government owned and operated $407,000
Lessor owned GSA ooerated 7,000
Supplies t material-equipment wear 7,000
WTjOT lib
Lessor owned and operated 155,000 IXf
The estimates were calculated by determining what percent of the
total work required in a year is required to be accomplished daily.
Seven buildings were selected with different types of cleaning such
as post offices, courts, small buildings, etc., and the average per-
cent for daily cleaning was determined (.3443 or 85*). Since one
full day will not require cleaning 1/5 or 20* x 85* daily cleaning,
gives 17* reduction of the daily work, leaving 6B* of the workload.
Add back 15* for all other cleaning, 68 * 15 = 83* required to com-
plete all cleaning four days a week, including work required weekly,
monthly, etc. This leaves a 17* unrealized work that may be created
by the 10-hour day, such as restroom servicing, additional lobby and
entrance cleaning, etc.
The FY79 budget submission was used for force account man hour costs
and cleaning contract costs. The 15* reduction was taken from the
force account man hour and cleaning contract costs to obtain the
estimated savings, A small savings may be realized on supplies,
materials, and equipment, as usage will be cut by 10* (+ or -) or man
hour costs x 15 x iO* (1,421,000 x 5* x ICS =¦ $7,105).
A savings could be realized from LOS space if the lessor would go
along with a reduction in the rent. At least a savings could be
realized if proper negotiations are conducted when a new lease is
entered into. If all leases could be renegotiated to reduce the
cleaning, the savings would be as follows: There is approximately
1,750,000 square feet of LOS space, containing GO, special purpose,
warehouse, etc. A rough estimate for cleaning all types collectively
would be i.60 per sauare foot or SI,030,000. Using the same percent-
ile saving as in Government-owned space would result in a 5155,000
savings, SI,030,000 x 15* - $155,000.
22
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Maintenance Management:
The estimated savings on a four-day, 10-hour week are as follows:
The primary savings are in tour requirements. Mo added tours :an be
foreseen. Therefore, an elimination of 1/5 the tour time for tie
Denver Metro Area can be projected at about 2665 hours times our
current labor rate of S13.35/hour or 535,577 per year.
The leased figure is a percentage derived by comparing the square
footage of lease space to the square footage of goverrment-ownec
space or 3ZX. Leases serviced by the owner would have to be renego-
tiated. However, it is hignly unlikely tnat rents would be reduced.
Line
Government Manpower
Lessor Manpower
S35.577
11.385
546,962
1T1
Us
Sumnary of Savings
Line
Government-Owned Buildings
Utilities: Heating, Cooling, Lighting
Maintenance
Custodial
S 38,524
35,577
421,000
S545 101
tic
II a
rib
I Id
Leased Buildi ngs
Utilities
Maintenance
Custodial
5 42,491
11,385
155,000
5208,876
Ilg
lie
Ilf
Ilh
Total
5753,977
23
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ALTERNATIVE 3 - 75 PERCENT OF WORK FORCE
The only difference between this alternative and Alternative 1 for the
entire work force is the assumption that only 75 percent of the work
force would choose to participate in a 4-day work week. This alternative
would produce only a 15 percent total reduction in ccnmutlng vehicle
miles traveled (VMT).
1. Commuting VMT by federal employees in
the Denver metropolitan area.
Dally VMT 326,000
Annual VMT 82,170.000
Savings 1n VMT compared to
Alternative 3.
Dally VMT 58,000
Annual VMT 14,500,000
2. Gasoline used by federal employees
for connuting, at .75 per gallon
Daily-gallons 21,800
Annual-gal Ions (116,350) 5,470,000
Savings in gallons compared
to Alternative 3.
($4,102,000)
Daily-gallons 3,800
Annual-gallons ($2,850) 970,000
($727,500)
3. Pollutants generated, tons per day.
HC 3.0
CO 30.5
N0X 0.8
TSP 0.1
Reduction in pollutants generated
compared to Alternative 3, tons per day.
HC 0.5
CO 7.2
NO* 0.1
TSP negligible
24
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DENVER METRO AREA BUILDINGS OPERATIONS COST SIMURY
(TEH-IIOUR DAYS)
1. PROJECTED COSTS II. PROJECTED COSTS fT 78 COSTS
All figures l:D«y/10-llour Week 4-Day/lO-Hour Week S^ay/S-Hour Week
Rounded - Core O^y*: T. U, Th 4-Day Operattun 5-Day Operation
5-Oay Operation
-Alternative II- -Alternative #2- -Enisling Work Schedule
r
GO (3,686,00 sq. ft.) Est. Costs Cost Increase Est. Costs Costs Increase Actual fi 78 Costs I
10 ~ or - Savings ~ or - Savings N
E
Government Operated
Crafts 2,177.000 ~ 70.000 2,271.000 -36,000 2.307,000 a
Custodial 2,824.000 -0- 1.) 2.403.000 -421,000 2,824,000 b
Utilities 2.124.500 >354.000 1,681,500 -89,000 1.770,000 c
Sub Total 7,325,500 *424,000 6,355,500 -546,000 6,901,500 d
Lessor Operated (1,7400,000 sq. ft.) (Estimated)
Crafts 957,000 * -0- 1.) 946,000 -11,000 957,000 e
Custodial 1,392.000 -0- 1.) 1,237.000 -155,000 1,392.000 f
Utl lilies 1,019,800 *170,000 807,800 -42,000 849,800 g
Sub Total 3,368,800 *170.000 2,990,600 -208,000 3,198,800 h
ftKANO 10TAL 10,694,300 * 594,000* 9,346,300 - 754,000" 10,100,300 i
No depreciable increase
J>.9t increase jl'iive exisliiuj work schedule.
7.5* decrease belcw existing work schedule.
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VIII
CONGRESSIONAL FINDINGS AND PRESIDENTIAL INTENT
A. Basic Finding
Public Law 95-390 is premised on Congress1 finding that "new trends
in the usage of 4-day workweeks, flexible work hours, and other
variations in workday and workweek schedules in the private sector
appear to show sufficient promise to warrant carefully designed, con-
trolled, and evaluated experimentation by Federal agencies over a
3-year period to determine whether and in what situations such varied
work schedules can be successfully used by federal agencies on a
permanent basis.*
8. Potential Advantages
Although experience with flexible and compressed work schedules
suggests that the benefits outweigh their costs and disadvantages.
President Carter noted in signing the Act that "while the advantages
appear to be substantial, these schedules have not yet been tested
within the full range of environments that characterize Federal
employment. Therefore, before making a decision to amend Federal law
permanently, this legislation wisely established an experimental
period of 3 years during which we can evaluate various innovations in
a large number of agencies." Therefore, a major purpose of the
3-year experiment, is to determine whether and in what situations
these schedules can be successfully used by Federal agencies on a
permanent basis.
Flexible work schedules can benefit organizations in a number of
ways. A 1977 General Accounting Office survey of Federal organiza-
tions that had introduced flexitime programs found that 71 percent of
the agencies surveyed reported Increased productivity; 71 percent
reported decreased short-term leave use; and 82 percent reported
decreased tardiness. Flexible schedules also have the potential for
Increasing the number of hours agencies can serve the public. In
signing the Act President Carter stated "we except that sane Federal
agencies will remain ppen to serve tne public for a greater number of
hours eacn day by using Flexible tine schedules."
Testimony and other information presented to Congress showed that
flex'Dle hours can aiso nave a positive impact on traffic congestion
by sufting computers out of the peak rush *rour periods, saving gaso-
line ;nd £>cssic'.y decreasing jrsan iir pollution causei ay iil'"3
car'.. P!.b'iC farsit nay ie a "nore MDeali'g oot'on "f employees 3re
free :o ijain -:f< »nei tnsy ?'-ive "at1"®' '"an 'lavina to wait C ~r
3D -".tj"-?' "P t;--' r - f 'Z'.'jc'-c ¦. iei" tomniut.ig ~e, Jn/113 :"C zi-- "p
czs'.i. ~cr or j'.n-z 31 ions -t can ^iean 3cied,Jlm7 the *c rk'cr.-e
beite' lanole :.ie xeriooad.
-------
Virtually every organization that has introduced a flexitime program
reported improvements in employee morale. Unoer flexitime, employees
gain added control over tneir lives; they can accommodate the demands
if their personal lives with work and can shape their work schedules
to enable them to spend more time with their families. Working
parents can arrange their work schedules so as to minimize the time
and expense involved in keeping their children in child care
centers. Employees may also find that they can more fully oartici-
pate in civic and community activities or pursue educational oppor-
tunities more easily.
C. Some Potential Problem Areas
Despite the advantages of flexible and compressed work schedules they
ao have some drawbacks and will present problems and cnallenges for
managers and supervisors. Under flexitime, scheduling and planning
the work flow can became more demanding. In addition since employees
won't necessarily be present when supervisors are on duty, managers
will be challenged to plan the work and develop better ways to
measure the effectiveness of their work units. There may also be
administrative problems witn time keeping and additional energy may
be needed to heat and cool buildings for the additional hours of
operation.
Under compressed work schedules employees may find the work days too
long and strenuous and may find that the longer hours can cause
family scheduling problems. Because these costs and benefits must be
carefully weighed there must be well designed and monitored evalua-
tion of flexible and compressed work schedules, as discussed in
succeeding paragraphs in this booklet.
III. PROVISIONS OF PUBLIC IAW 95-390
A. Participation by Federal Agencies
The Act allows each agency to conduct one or more experiments; there
are no limits on the number of experiments wmch may be conducted by
an agency during the 3-year experimental period, while the law does
not require each agency to conduct exoeriments with alternative work
schedules, the Act does require a samole of agencies with a "suffi-
cient number of positions througnout the Executive 3ranch, and a
sufficient range of worktime alternatives, as to provide an adequate
basis on which to evaluate the effectiveness and desirability of
permanently maintaining flexible or compressed work schedules within
the executive Branch." In order to ensure that an adequate number of
agencies conduct tests of flexible and compressed work schedules, the
Act gives the Office of Personnel Management authority to require
selected agencies to particicate in the experiments, in accordance
with all applicable provisions of the Act, if this -s necessary to
ensure the overall quality of the evaluation.
27
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8ecause of the widespread interest in alternative work schedules
among employees and because managers will be able to tailor schedules
to better fit particular work situations requiring innovative sched-
ules, it is anticipated that there will be a large number of agencies
and agency activities submitting proposals to conduct experiments,
which will make tt unnecessary for the Office of Personnel Management
to invoke its authority to require participation. However, agencies
should be prepared to work with the staff of the Office of Personnel
Management in order to modify proposals, or if the need arises, to
study the feasibility of undertaking an experiment in oroer to insure
a sufficient diversity of work schedules, and a representative sample
of organizations different size, activity and function, occupational
mix and geographic locations.
The need for diversity of environments in which to test different
types of alternative work schedules was recognized by the Congress.
The joint report of the Senate Committees on Governmental Affairs and
Human Resources states that "the ccnrnittees envision a broad-based
experiment touching several hundred units of the Federal Government
in order to derive sane empirically useful data about flexible work
schedules. Experiments with units performing diverse functions are
essential; flexible or compressed schedules may be brilliantly
successful in certain settings and a dismal failure in others, and a
limited experiment could produce results that were seriously skewed."
B. legal Protections
The primary purpose of the Act is to permit experimentation with all
forms of flexible and canpressed work schedules without requiring the
Government to pay prohibitively expensive overtime payments, for the
same basic work requirement. In order to accomplish this purpose,
the Act modifies premium pay and scheduling provisions of title 5,
United States Code and the FLSA. However, these provisions of law
are suspended only for purposes of allowing exoeriments to be con-
ducted and are not intended to deprive employees of presently exist-
ing benefits.
1. Protection of Premium Pay and Holiday Benefits
The provisions of the Act preserve the rights of employees partici-
pating in approved experiments to all existing holiday and other
premium pay benefits. For example, hours of work in excess of eight
in a day or 40 in a week, officially ordered in advance in a flexible
schedule are considered overtime hours. In flexitime programs over-
time pay wi II continue to be paid for all overtime work ordered _i_n
advance by management.
-------
In compressed work schedule programs overtime will be paid for all
>\ours of work in excess of the basic work requirement. In addition.
General Schedule employees will continue to be entitled (10 hours per
day in a 4-day workweek) to shift differential under flexitime pro-
grams when core time falls Detween the hours of 6 p.m. and 6 a.m., or
where the anployee does not nave the opportumtu to complete eignt
hours between 6 a.m. and 6 o.t,. Federal Wage System enolcyees will
be paid nignt differential wnen all or a majority of hours in sucn a
schedule for any day fall between the hours specified in section
5343(f) of title 5, United States Code. For example, in the case of
a General Schedule employee, if the flexible work schedule is estaD-
lisned from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. with core time between I p.m. ana 6
p.m., the maximum number of hours_which the employee can work prior
to 6 p.m. is less than eignt (i.e., 7 hours). Accordingly, the
employee is entitled to nignt-shift differential for 1 hour worked
between 6 p.m. and 11 p.m. since 1 hour must be worked during the
night-shift period to complete an 8-hour day. If an agency believes
that it is in the best interest of accomplishing its mission to
establish such a work schedule, then it must recognize the increased
payroll costs which will be incurred due to the payment of night-
shift differential.
2. Protection of Employees Against Coercion
For employees participating in flexible work schedule experiments,
there are specific protections provided in the Act against intimidat-
ing, threatening, coercing or interfernng with an employee's right
to elect an arrival or departure time, or to request compensatory
time off in lieu of overtime pay. For non-uniomzed employees
participating in compressed work schedule experiments, the Act
prohibits coercing any employee's vote as to whether or not to be
included in an experiment. It also prohibits interference with an
employee's right to request exclusion from a compressed work schedule
experiment on the basis of personal hardship. Besides the specific
protections provided by the Act, employees will continue to retain
their right to initiate action in court for alleged violations of the
Fair Labor Standards Act.
3. Preservation of the Collective Bargaining Process
Public Law 95-390 also preserves the collective bargaining process in
circumstances where a union has exclusive recognition and management
and/or the union want to introduce flexible or compressed work
schedules. Where a union does have exclusive recognition, negotia-
tions regarding the introduction of the schedule authorized by the
Ian, must be in accordance with the substantive provisions of the Act
and applicable 1 abor management relations policies. However, an
agency and a union may not enter into an agreement that contains
requirements to pay overtime trfiich conflict with the provisions of
the Act.
29
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1. Protection of the Public Interest and Efficiency of
Government Operations
The Act also protects the public interest and the efficiency of
Government operations by insuring that the Cownission or the head of
any agency may terminate an alternative work schedule experiment
(subject to the terms of any written agreement under section 302(a)
of the Act if it disrupts agency operations or increases costs. For
each experimental program the Act authorizes agency heads to restrict
the employees1 choice of arrival and departure times, or to exclude
any employee or group of employees from the experiment, if necessary,
'to accomplish mission requirements.
IV. CONDUCT OF THE EXPERIMENTS
A. Basic Research Considerations Under the Act
It 1s essential for purposes of carrying out the intent of the Act,
that through the joint efforts of agencies and the Office of Per-
sonnel Management careful, systematic and controlled evaluation of
flexible and compressed work schedules provide answers to the key
questions regarding impact on efficiency of Government operations,
mass transit and traffic, energy consumption, service to the public,
opportunities for full-time and part-time employment, and the quality
of lffe for individuals and families.
In particular, we need to know the effect of these schedules on work
unit performance and costs, on management tasks, on labor-management
relations, or further organizational change, on gains and losses 1n
service to the public, on commuting and public transit, on energy
gains and losses from different transportation and building use
patterns, on new entry into the labor force, on gains or losses in
jobs offered, and on personel and home life.
In order for an evaluation to produce meaningful results, the effects
of the experiment must be isolated from extraneous outside influences
on outcomes and related to characteristics of the work unit such as
the nature of work done, its size, and its geographical location.
Of particular interest, is the question of whether one type of flex-
ible or compressed work schedule produces different results front
another type of schedule. He need to know if particular schedules
work better in some work settings then others.
In order to do the evaluation, data must be collected by participat-
ing work units on their experiences with an alternative work sched-
ule, with assistance and guidelines from the Office of Personnel
Management. These data will be analyzed and will form the basis for
the Office of Personnel Management's .-snort to Congress and the
President.
20
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B. Research Procedures
To be cf most use to Federal managers, many of the effects of flex-
ible and canpressed work schedules need to tie measured at the level
of the work unit where particular functions and activities are
car'ied out. Data will be collected from a variety of sources. Some
data will be archival hard data which is routinely obtained by work
units, such as turnover and overtime cost data. Other data will need
to be collected frcm questionnaires distributed to employees and
supervisors, such as commuting data and management tasks data. In
addition, the official responsible for the alternative work schedules
experiment will need to provide descriptive information on partici-
pating work units.
In oraer to measure the effects of flexible and compressed work
schedules baseline data will be required on the operation of the work
unit prior to the imolmentation of an alternative work schedule.
Some of the same variables will continue to be measured throughout
the experimental period. Some work units mtiich do not adopt any
alternative work schedule will also need to be included in the
evaluaton so that comparisons can be made between user and nonuser
experiences. Standard forms for collection of data will be provided
by the Office of Personnel Management.
Agencies that desire to participate in the experiment will be asked
to notify the Office of Personnel Management of their intent. This
will enable the Office of Personnel Management to ensure that a large
and diverse enough sample of work units wi11 se participating. Work
units «ill be asked to begin their alternative work schedules very
soon agter the Act becomes effective on March 29, 1979. All experi-
ments must be underway by September 30, 1979.
C. Implementation Procedures
1. Project Director
The experience of most successful users of flexible schedules
suggests that the method by which flexitime is introduced has a
significant impact on the likelihood that the change in schedules
will be successful. One important feature in most successful pro-
grams
-------
2. On-Site Research Coordinator
Since the Act places considerable emphasis upon the evaluation of
alternative work schedule programs, proper collection, analysis, and
interpretation of data is essential. Analysis of this raw data must
take into account any changes at the work site which take place dur-
ing the experiment and which may have an impact on the data apart
from the impact the alternative work schedule is having. To capture
this information it is necessary for each site to designate an
On-site Research Coordinator. This person will be responsible for
insuring an adequate data collection system, for forwarding raw data
to the Office of Personnel Management and for keeping a log of
slyiiflcant events that may have an impact on the data generated
(e.g., a flu epidemic with its impact on usage of sick leave).
While the duties of the Project Director and On-site Research
Coordinator demand sustained attention for short periods of time,
they will not require a great deal of time for any substantial
period. This means that these duties can be assumed by agency staff
members along with regular duties.
Office of Personnel Management guidance, training and instructional
materials will be provided to Project Directors and On-site Research
Coordinators to minimize the demands on their time generated by this
project and to facilitate implementation and evaluation of
experiments.
32
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IX
RESEARCH FINDINGS
EFFICIENCY OF GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS
Flexible work schedules. The positive effects of flexitime on
organizational effectiveness is evidenced in studies conducted by
corporations, government agencies, and university researchers (e.g.,
Fields 1974; Gol embiewski, Hllles, and Kagno 1974; Schein, Maurer,
and Novak 1977; U.S. Department of Agriculture Science and Education
Administration 1978; U.S Department of Health, Education, and
Welfare, Social Security Administration 1975; U.S Department of
Interior, Geological Survey 1977; Elbing, Gadon, and Gordon 1974;
Martin 1975; Nollen and Martin 1978; and Weinstem 1975). Morale and
organization climate improve substantially when flexible scheduling
enables employees to integrate their home and work responsibilities
more satisfactorily. Productivity frequently improves as a result of
several changes that occur 1n anployee behavior. Short term absence
often declines because people can attend to personal business outside
working hours. °reviously lost work time is also recouped because
tardiness is dramatically reduced when mployees begin to count time
from the hour they actually start work rather than the "official"
starting time. Turnover is lower because of flexitime's popularity,
with consequent savings in recruiting and training exoenses. Since
an organization extends its operating day under flexitime, machine
time or the numDer of hours for cross country telephone comnunication
can also be extended. Though slightly greater complexity in planning
and scheduling work is sometimes reported, manage-s generally hold
the view that the benefits of flexitime far outweigh increased
management effort and the greater utility costs that sometimes
accanpany longer operating days.
Flexitime, however, has been tried largely by progressive organiza-
tions with a healthy labor-management climate. It has been used
primarily in nonunion office settings where work tasks are relatively
discrete. Doubts have been raised as to the system's suitability for
work settings wnere work tasks are interdependent or full coverage is
required on a continuous basis. Thus questions remain as to how
widely flexible working hours can be successfully implemented, even
though experience to date has been generally positive.
Compressed work schedules. Productivity has also increased under
ccmpressed work scnedules in some cases (Poor 1970; Wheeler, Gurman,
and Tarnowieski 1972). One day's start-up and shut-down time and
paid break time is saved for every employee who works a 4/40
schedule. Absenteeism sometimes declines because workers have free
days during the week for doctor's appointments and personal business.
33
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On the other hand, when workers are scheduled for fewer days per
week, one day's absence constitutes a greater time loss than would be
the case under a five-day week. Similarly, interface with customers
and suppliers may suffer in organizations that use a four-day week
and close on the fifth day, rather than staggering their employees'
days off. Productivity may decline due to anployee fatigue. Esti-
mates of the extent to which organizations have discontinued use of
compressed work schedules after a period of experimentation range
from an early estimate of 8 percent (Wheeler, Gurman, and Tarnowieskl
1972) to a more current estimate of 28 percent (Nollen and Martin
1978). Other reports from small samples range up to 44 percent
(Haldl 1977). Successful use of the system seems to depend, at least
in part, on the work technology of a particular organizational unit.
It also appears to be more popular with some groups of employees than
others. Longer work days, for example, may fatigue older workers or
those who must also attend to daily farm, housekeeping, or child care
chores.
MASS TRANSIT FACILITIES ANO TRAFFIC
Flexible work schedules. Flexitime can be expected to relieve
rush-hour congestion on buses, trains, roads, and elevators because
people who have the freedom to choose their own work schedules
generally elect to conmute before or after the peak period. In
Toronto, for example, more than half of the employees that were given
the opportunity to participate in a citywide flexible hours project
elected to travel outside peak conmuting hour (Toronto Variable Work
Hours Project 1975). If a substantial number of people shift their
conmuting hours there is a commensurate increase in the efficiency of
public transit operation, since each driver can make more than ont
trip per rush hour period. In Ottowa, Canada, for example, institu-
tion of a metropolitan flexible hours project reduced the per mile
cost of providing both existing and new service. Whether these
advantages actually accrue to individuals and transportation systems
1s Influenced, however, by a number of factors including the location
of the work site, the quantity and quality of public transportation
that 1s available, and whether or not a conrnunity car pooling or work
schedules project is in effect. Similarly whether flexitime lures
people who drive alone Into car pools or public transportation, or
has the opposite effect, any depend on such factors as the avail-
ability of parking or the quality of public transit. The few
empirical studies that have been conducted suggest a positive
impact. At the Geological Survey flexitime caused a slight increase
in the number of employees using car pools, which offset the small
decrease in the numoer using public transportation (U.S. Department
of Interior 1977). Three years after Instituting flexitime, the
34
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California Department of Water Resources found that a large majority
of the 11 percent of its 1300 employees who had changed their mode of
transportation as a conseqence of trie new schedule had shifted sway
from solo driving and toward car pooling or bus (Jones, Nakamoto, and
Cilliers 1977). Favorable effects an car pooling and bus ridership
were also reported in an experiment undertaken at the Bonneville
Power Adrainistrati on (U.S. Department of Energy 1978).
Compressed work schedules. Compressed work schedules have the same
effect as flexitime in spreading the number of hours during which
people comnute. When people work fewer days per week, there is also
a reduction 1n the total number of trips they make. While fewer
trips mean less crowded travel conditions, they also mean reduced
revenues for public transit systems, which generally are already
operating at a loss. Little systematic study of the effects of
Compressed work schedules on traffic and transit operation has been
undertaken.
LEVaS OF ENERGY CONSUMPTION
Evidence of the net impact of alternative work schedules on energy
consumption is almost nonexistent. The effect on transportation may
be positive because energy-wasteful stop-and-go driving is reduced
and people may be more willing to use public transportation when
flexitime permits them to adapt work schedules to transit schedules.
Similarly a four-day week would reduce a driver's connuting energy
consumption by 20 percent. Of course, a consurrent increase in
leisure driving could counteract these savings. The longer work days
associated with both flexible and compressed work schedules may
increase the amount of energy that is needed to heat, cool, venti-
late, and light buildings and to operate equipment. Only in the
event an operation closes down an extra day a week under a compressed
schedule could there be an energy savings in building operation
(Anderson 1977), The extent to which building-ralated energy con-
sumption actually increases under either alternative schedule will
vary with present building operation and maintenance policies, the
function of the unit that is using the new work schedule, the age and
construction of the building, and the severity of the weather. A
careful measure of building energy consumption before and after the
introduction of flexitime at the Department of Agriculture's Eastern
Regional Research Center revealed a moderate increase in use of
electricity and oil, but no increase in building operation manpower
costs. (U.S Department of Agriculture 19731
SERVICE TO THE PUBLIC
Flexible work schedules. Flexible working hours can imorove public
service by extenaing the number of hours dur'ng which the government
agency is open to the public each day. Though overhead costs may
increase, service can be added without incurring additional direct
35
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labor costs, since those workers who elect early schedules provide
early morning coverage and those who choose late schedules provide
late day coverage. A small work unit, of course, may not have
sufficient staff to spread over this longer span of hours. And the
extent to which these longer operating hours actually benefit those
who conduct business with the agency may depand on how well the new
schedule is publicized. Whether quality of service (for example,
helpfulness of response or case backlog) will improve needs
documentation.
Compressed work schedules. Canpressed work schedules can either
decrease or increase an agency's service to the public. If an agency
operates only four days per week, certainly public access to its
services on a daily basis is reduced. On the other hand, by schedul-
ing groups of four-day, or even three-day, workers on different days
of the week, an agency can not only increase its daily hours of
service, but also add weekend service hours. Government organiza-
tions can also use compressed work schedules to provide improved
service during peak demand periods. Police protection, for example,
can be doubled during busy periods of the day by scheduling three
overlapping shifts to ten-hour workers.
A work unit's function will play a large part in determining whether
a compressed work schedule will positively or negatively affect its
ability to service the public and whether operating days should
decrease, remain the same, or increase under the new schedule. A
forest maintenance crew that spends paid work time traveling to and
frcm the work site, for example, could provide more hours of actual
work per week by operating only four days a week and saving one day's
travel time. An information office that closed on the fifth day,
however, would reduce its ability to serve the public.
OPPORTUNITY FOR FULL-TIME AND PART-TIME EMPLOYMENT
Flexible work schedules. Flexible working hours have been advocated
by many of the groups with the highest unemployment rates: women,
minorities, youths, handicapped persons, and older workers. Women
who have housekeeping and child care duties in addition to their job
responsibilities find their dual roles easier to handle and day care
less costly when they have more control over there own schedules.
Minorities, who often fail into lower 1nccme brackets and hence are
less financially able to afford either domestic help or their own
automobiles, benefit especially frcm the ability to accomodate work-
ing hours to home responsibilities and transit schedules. Youths are
more likely to be able to combine paid employment and education wnen
work schedules are flexible. Older and handicaDped persons find it
easier to work wnen they can connute outside rush hour or receive
medical treatment without taking time off from the job. !n some
cases oeople who have previously been forced by oersonsl nee^s to
work Dart time may be able to work full time under flexible hours
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Compressed work schedules. Some of these same groups like compressed
work schedules because of the extra free day and the savings in
travel ana day care costs they receive. Others, however, may be less
able to work because of fatigue, unavailability of public transporta-
tion at early and late hours, or difficulty in obtaining child care
for longer days.
In addition to the questions about the opportunities that alternative
work schedules create for individuals, there are also larger ques-
tions to answer about the overall effect on employment opportuni-
ties. Will the overall supply of labor increase because flexible
schedules enable more people to work and compressed work schedules
enable more people to take on second jobs? If so, will employers be
encouraged to substitute labor for capital, or will there be keener
conpetition for available jobs, thus worsening the plight of those
groups with the highest unemployment rates?
QUALITY OF LIFE FOR INDIVIDUALS AND FAMILIES
Flexible work hours. Virtually all flexitime studies that have oeen
conducted found a positive impact on enployee moral. This was true
not only in national surveys (Nollen and Ma-tin 1973, Ueinstein 1975,
Martin 1975), but in numerous studies initiated by Federal agencies
as part of their experiments with the limited types of flexitime that
previously could be used for Government employees (U.S. Geological
Survey 1977, Social Security Administration 1974, U.S. Department of
Agriculture 1978). People are better aole to integrate their job and
non-job activities such as education, civic and recreational activi-
ties. They feel that they have greater autonomy in their jobs, and
tnat they are being trusted and treated as adults. There is less
tension from rush hour comnuting and trying to "beat the timeclock."
Though no studies of the impacts of flexible nours on family life
have yet been completed (Reports are forthcoming from Winett, Control
Oata Corporation, and The Family imoact Center of Geroge Washington
University), there should be accompanying benefits to workers'
families in terms of Isss narnecJ oarents, time for recreational
pursuits, help with homework, and more satisfactory day care
arrangements.
Comaresseo work schedules. The impact of compressed work schedules
on individuals and families have been investigated in several studies
(e.g., Nord and Costigan 1973, Wilson 1971, Ivancevich 1974) put the
evioeroe is inconclusive. Early case studies of the 4/40 week, such
as 'lord :nd Costigan'-, found overall positive effects, especially on
ppople *-.e had ?Mns for jse of the"- new day of free time (usually
'0.r, ji">" ¦'j.'ker'i ina women). Similarly, w Hen's survey of employees
-- • • ¦ -rr.-j -.let -j£ed empress-:'.'
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limited improvements in quality of life (for example Ivancevich 1974)
and more recent surveys (Nollen and Martin 1978, Weinstein 1975) have
found employee dissatisfaction to Se one reason that organizations
have discontinued use of compressed work schedules. No studies have
explored the effects of the 5-4/9 plan, which may reduce some of the
disadvantages of compressed work schedules. Under this plan people
work only slightly longer daily hours nine days out of ten, in order
to have an extra free day every other week. Neither have any studies
documented whether compressed schedules are more popular in warm
climates vrfiere enjoyment of the outdoors might be enhanced by longer
blocks of free time. There are indications that workers in
particular jobs, such as computer operator, like three-day weeks
(Dobelis 1972). Union labor is less likely to be on a compressed
schedule, but this difference appears to stem from constraining
contracts rather than attitude differences between union and nonunion
employees.
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