Directs the governor to establish a pilot program providing a 4 day work week for certain state employees

Summary of provisions

Bill §1 adds a new §134-a to the Civil Service Law providing for establishment by the Governor of a mandatory 4-day work week pilot program for state employees. Under such program:

* the work week for all state offices (or units thereof) participating in the program will be 8 a.m to 6 p.m., Monday through Thursday.

* the Governor determines the offices or other units in state agencies that will participate in the pilot program, after evaluating the extent to which such offices or units provide an essential public service, such as law enforcement or health care, that must be provided on a continuous basis; the extent to which a change to a 4-day work week for a particular office or unit may have adverse impacts on revenues or public services; the ability of the state to benefit from reduced energy expenditures for leased space; and other matters he deems appropriate.

* mechanisms are provided for accommodating employees who would otherwise experience substantial and unavoidable hardships under the new schedule.

* no employee shall forfeit any remuneration or benefit by virtue of the operation of the pilot program, and the Governor may vary the provisions of any statute or regulation relating to vacation and leave credits, by executive order, to ensure that no such forfeiture occurs.

* the program shall be initiated within 120 days of enactment and run for a period of not less than 2 years, with a midterm comparing baseline agency operating costs to the energy and environmental impacts and building cost savings resulting from the pilot program. Such report shall also estimate the impact of the pilot program on other variables, including but not limited to commuter miles traveled, commuting costs, and public and employee satisfaction with the program.

Bill §2 amends §20 of the General Construction Law to ensure that official acts that would otherwise need to be performed on a "dark day" under the pilot program would carry over until the next succeeding business day.

Summary of amendments

Bill §1 is amended to add a new subdivision 5 to Civil Service Law §134-a, clarifying that nothing in that section is intended to diminish any contractual rights, privileges or remedies of state employees.

Effects of present law which this bill would alter

Civil Service Law §134(1) currently establishes a standard 40-hour work week for state employees, but state statutes are silent on the number of days that comprise the work week.

Justification

The current economic crisis necessitates rethinking the ways in which government services are provided. Finding more efficient and effective means of service delivery can enable government agencies to fulfill their missions while reducing expenses. State and local governments around the United States have begun to experiment with four-day schedules as a means of providing improved service to the public at lower cost.

Providing for a four-day work week for many New York State employees could result in multiple benefits, including fiscal savings, expanded access to services for the public, reductions in energy demand, reduced commuting costs and traffic congestion, and decreased levels of pollution resulting from reductions in energy demand and vehicle miles traveled. Establishing a pilot program providing for a four-day work week will assist in dealing with the current economic crisis and enable decision makers to evaluate the long-term desirability of a four-day work week.

Prior legislative history

None.

Fiscal implications for state and local governments

Along with producing many other benefits, this bill is designed to result in fiscal savings for New York State.

Effective date

Immediate.