I just switched jobs to drastically shorten my commute. The 4-day workweek would be great on many levels...less time on the highway, fewer trips to the gas station, more time at home. I'm totally for it!!!

This is a great idea. Not only does it help with commuting, it also helps with issues like childcare, and with the ever expanding expectations of the time employees put in on the job. I feel my work/life balance would be much better (even with 10 hour days) with this schedule. Sign me up!

I think this would be perfect! I know having that one extra day off during the week to do the things you can't do on the weekend, i.e. doctors appointments, dentist appointments, banking, etc. That would stop having to take time off work to do those things. Also, saving time commuting and using less gas would benefit all of us and well as our mother earth. Lets stop making the oil companies RICH and start doing this so that we do use LESS GAS!

Working from home is another good option. My employeer moved offices around when I was out and somehow I didn't get a cubical. At first I was mad but they let me work from home and now it is perm at home. No pay change or anything. I have ot be extra careful about staying caught up and but they actually get more work out of me because instead of driving 2 hours and working 8 I work for 9-10 hrs. I am not hourly so it saves them and it is okay with me since I'm in my pj's! Also makes me a much more less likely to leave my posiiton. They gave me a computer and saved them a lot of money in admin costs as well and now I am home all day every day. Meetings are over the phone and the idea has caught on. Tell me what is wrong with working from home or a 4 day week?

No, it won't work. Good idea, though. As soon as profits, drop the big oil companies will jack up prices to keep making outrageous salaries. 1. We must become less dependent on foreign oil, immediately. 2. Oil Companies must be forced by our Government to create alternative means of energy. Neither of these will happen, because too many pockets are being stuffed with cash.

I think the 4day workweek can benefit in many ways. Savings of fuel, and savings of energy and the cost associated by not lighting, heating and cooling buildings 1 day/week less than is done now. (large cost savings to businesses) Public transit can run "weekend" routes 3 days-week that would cut expenses. With every business out there facing the possibility of cut backs because of shortened revenue, this could be an avenue to approach as a way of saving some of those costs and trying to avoid laying off employees. But everyone has to be "on board" or it won't work.

People above talk about having the time to do things they cannot normally do on a weekend. Keep in mind if this were to catch on the weekend would be extended and all those businesses closed on Saturday and Sunday would now be closed on Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

"In theory, theory and practice are the same. In practice, they are not." -- Lawrence Peter Berra

Two things...First of all logistics. One comment mentioned scheduling appointments. Scheduling a dentist appointment on your "third day off" is a great idea as long as your dentist is not off on that day also. One of the other comments mentioned child care savings. What about school aged kids? Are schools going to be running five days a week still, and if not what happens when both parents work, on the school's "third day off." Also consider service and retail industries that are open seven days a week. Generally full time employees work when the younger part time employees are in school. This would create a scheduling nightmare for retailers.

Secondly burning less gas is not the solution. It is little more than a Band Aid. We need to look into renewable energies.

I will say this, a four day work week looks like a good idea, and it would save some people money. It is not, however, going to work for us as a nation, and it is not going to be THE solution to the fuel cost problem.

I think the 4 day workweek is great, but there are 2 reasons why I don't think it will ever catch on.

the first is while the employees love it, I don't think it will be too popular with the employers. A couple of the jobs I have had flirted with a 4 day workweek, and with great protest from the workers every time, the employers unilaterally pulled the plug on it. I'm thinking that on average, people are less productive during those last 2 hours each day because they get tired, and the employers see it costing them money. Plus if 2 or 3 shifts are worked, it's hard to coordinate a 10 hour workday into that schedule. Often times there is an overlap between days and swing shift, and that costs the employer money.

second is that I don't think it will save any gas. It might ease congestion because people are driving at a later and a more dispersed time, but people aren't just going to sit around at home on their extra day off, they will be out driving around. Might even result in higher gas usage.

One bright spot though, I bet it will pump more money into the economy because when people have a day off they go out and spend money!

The real solution would be mass transit and plug in electric or electric hybrid vehicles. Much of the energy generated in the NW comes from renewable energy sources. So, the plug in vehicles can charge up overnight. Mass transit, like commuter trains or buses would help reduce the traffic congestion.

As a parent of a school aged child, I wouldn't want to work a ten hour shift. As far as scheduling appointments, I would just schedule them for those times when I didn't have to work. I've been doing this for years and it has worked.

One thing a four day work week will generate is having 3 days to use the car to go different places and run errands, than just 2 days.

I think working 4 10 hour shifts is a great way to save money. I work that schedule now and I like it because it gives me three days off and what's a couple more hours per day.

In theory for certain jobs this could work, but I don’t feel this plan of action is taking into consideration factories that run 24 hours a day for 5-7 days a week, what about fast food industries, restaurants, super-stores, and the like that are open 7 days a week, and what about schools, how will this affect them, sure the movement and schools could employ this option in conjunction, longer work week, longer school days, but what about kids whose parents wont be working that rotation? Seems like the plan needs a bit more thought. I’m not saying it can’t be done, local nursing homes often have a 4 day on 2 day off work schedule for their employees, so accommodations can be made. Additionally what I’ve read focuses mostly on government type employees, and focuses on reduction in fuel and green house gases and energy. Let me understand this… we want individuals to spend more time at home running up their bills on heating and air conditioning, and working less (potentially brining home less money per week to pay their bills with? Is the money they save from commuting, greater than or equal to the cost of energy consumed by there residential uses?

IN order to have a business with a four day work week, you have to have customers who are willing to only buy from you on the same schedule. Also, NO business is going to be that kind of an operation unless they can be assured that their competitors will do the same. Only very large companys with large employee counts can possibly pull it off. Otherwise its a 70's era pipe dream that will never lauch...

To those who say it can't be done....Many companies already have 4 day work week options. I know many who do it. It is not a new idea. Also, for the person talking abuot 24-7 jobs like hosptials...most clinical staff work 12 hr days and may 36 hr weeks, but many work rotating shifts like....7 days in a row then 7 day's off or 3 on 4 off 2 on 3 off or something like that. I did just make this up...My parents did this as a kid and I did for a while too. There is a large group of people out there who do not work 8 hrs a day M-F just look...this "idea" is already in practice. Even my first full time job. I was 19 and worked 40 hrs in college. I was only allowed to work 40 hrs a week, no overtime. Therefor during the summer I just somehow would have to work 8.5-9 hrs each day then on Friday I got off early. Somehow they never caught on...anyway, this idea can work, it already does. Just have to look and it's already working for a great number of people.

One thing to keep in mind is some people drive more on their days off then they do during the work week. While this is a hot topic for those of us that commute, there is a large part of the population that drives less than 10 miles to work each day. What happens if they start going shopping, to the park, to church, to schools, etc. on the extra day off. I doubt demand on gas would go down enough to make a long term impact, but I am sure it would help.