Bill Text: PA HR334 | 2011-2012 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Directing the Joint State Government Commission to conduct a study on the effects of a four-day, ten-hour workweek for employees of the Commonwealth.

Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 10-2)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2011-06-08 - Referred to STATE GOVERNMENT [HR334 Detail]

Download: Pennsylvania-2011-HR334-Introduced.html

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PRINTER'S NO. 2054
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No. 334 Session of2011
INTRODUCED BY WHITE, CUTLER, DONATUCCI, FABRIZIO, KORTZ, MANN, McGEEHAN, M. O'BRIEN, SANTARSIERO, SWANGER AND YOUNGBLOOD, JUNE 8, 2011
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON STATE GOVERNMENT, JUNE 8, 2011
A RESOLUTION
Directing the Joint State Government Commission to conduct a
study on the effects of a four-day, ten-hour workweek for
employees of the Commonwealth.
WHEREAS, The General Assembly considers a multitude of
solutions to alleviate budgetary constraints and recognizes the
economic burden that all citizens of this Commonwealth bear when
faced with a foundering economy, rising inflation and increasing
energy costs; and
WHEREAS, The normal hours of government operation often
unintentionally restrict Pennsylvanians' opportunity to avail
themselves of public services; and
WHEREAS, Spiraling gasoline prices are putting a tremendous
strain on employees of the Commonwealth and all commuting
Pennsylvanians, especially those who travel long distances to
their places of employment; and
WHEREAS, Fiscal, environmental and public benefits of a four-
day workweek for employees of the Commonwealth may be a fair and
reasonable solution for reducing the energy consumption of the
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Commonwealth and increasing public access to government services
while providing substantial savings to the taxpayers; and
WHEREAS, On August 4, 2008, Governor Jon Huntsman issued an
executive order that made Utah the first state to adopt a four-
day, ten-hour workweek for some state employees and commissioned
the Utah Department of Human Resources Management (UDHRM) to
publish the One Year Performance Initiative Report to evaluate
effectiveness of the alternative work schedule; and
WHEREAS, The UDHRM found that Utah reduced its energy
consumption by 10.5%, saving taxpayers more than $2.15 million
in energy costs, in addition to saving more than $4.1 million in
paid overtime for executive branch staff; and
WHEREAS, States such as Arizona, Illinois, West Virginia and
Oklahoma have conducted studies or considered proposals relating
to alternative workweek schedules for state employees as
measures to save costs during a time of economic uncertainty;
therefore be it
RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives direct the Joint
State Government Commission to conduct a study to determine the
fiscal, environmental and public impact of establishing a four-
day, ten-hour workweek for employees of the Commonwealth's three
branches of government; and be it further
RESOLVED, That the report from the Joint State Government
Commission be submitted to the House of Representatives no later
than six months after the adoption of this resolution.
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