San Juan County announced that the implementation of a four-day, 32-hour workweek has generated savings of nearly $2 million over two years, helping to avert tax increases or significant cuts to public services.
The county published a final report detailing the two-year impact, demonstrating how the reduced work schedule enabled San Juan to manage its budget for 2024 and 2025 without raising current expense taxes or substantially reducing personnel or services.
The report indicates that the 32-hour workweek, adopted in 2023 during labor negotiations, prevented approximately $2 million in projected cost-of-living expenses that would have been incurred with a traditional 40-hour schedule.
County officials stated that these savings eased financial pressure as operating costs increased and revenue growth remained limited.
“As we face more challenging fiscal years, it’s even more crucial to preserve the advantages offered by the 32-hour workweek,” said Jessica Hudson, county manager. “With limited resources, we are utilizing all available tools to manage our finances responsibly and prudently, and the 32-hour workweek has proven to be a valuable asset.”
Beyond the budgetary relief, the county observed notable changes in its workforce. Job applications increased by an average of 216% following the adoption of the new schedule, while the time required to fill vacant positions decreased by approximately 27%.
Voluntary separations, including resignations and retirements, decreased by roughly 28% during the two-year period. Employee time and attendance data revealed a lower usage of sick days with the reduced workweek.
The report indicates an average 18% decrease in sick leave, including a 21% reduction during peak flu season.
While full-time schedules were reduced by 20%, total hours worked across all county departments decreased by only 13%, a change attributed to the reduction in vacancies and the continuation of hours for part-time and seasonal staff.
The modification of the workweek emerged during negotiations for the county’s 2023-25 labor contract. Union representatives sought higher cost-of-living adjustments and expanded benefits linked to inflation and regional salary comparisons.
County leaders noted that fulfilling these requests under a 40-hour model would have exceeded the available budget for taxpayers. The 32-hour schedule was adopted as a compromise, preserving employee salaries while limiting long-term costs.
County officials acknowledged that the transition has not been without challenges. The report highlights ongoing challenges in coordinating schedules between departments, clearly communicating public service hours, and balancing workloads, particularly for exempt managers who often continue to work more than 32 hours per week.
Despite these issues, county leaders deemed the results strong enough to make the 32-hour workweek permanent. The county will no longer publish periodic progress reports but plans to continue optimizing the schedule using employee and community feedback, maintaining the reduced workweek as standard practice.
“We will continue working to leverage the benefits of this schedule and continue serving the public effectively and responsibly within our budgetary constraints,” Hudson stated.
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