Workers, employers welcome 4-day week

Started as an economic measure, it’s a growing trend, despite a few snags.

…Public employers are at the forefront. In Minnesota, cities from Albertville to Zimmerman, counties and schools are making the switch or considering it. Even some private businesses, although more tentatively, are embracing what they call the compressed workweek.

Higher energy costs are triggering the change, with employees saving 20 percent of their commuting gas money while building costs drop with less heating, cooling and even toilet paper used when the doors are locked on Friday.


“We’ve talked about this on and off for a few years, but until this energy crisis started hitting us, we didn’t get too excited,” said Craig Oscarson, the Mower County coordinator in Austin. His board recently asked him to analyze the potential savings a four-day week would reap.

Star Tribne