Hoyer Advocates for a Four-Day Work Week

By Joe Davidson
Friday, August 22, 2008

Like long weekends?

House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (D-Md.) is pushing a work week of four, 10-hour days for federal employees.

In a letter, released this week, to the Office of Personnel Management, he asked the agency to "undertake comprehensive analysis of the transitioning to a 4-day work week for all possible federal employees and inform me by August 31, of any additional actions Congress would need to take to implement such a policy by the end of fiscal year 2008."

Hoyer acknowledged that federal agencies and departments "already have discretion to implement alternative work schedules."

That discretion is underlined by an OPM document, "Negotiating Flexible and Compressed Work Schedules," which says a 1982 law "authorizes a versatile and innovative work scheduling program for use in the Federal Government."

The document says "many management officials are finding that the use of flexible and compressed work schedules can help resolve a number of personnel problems." Those problems include employees with dependent-care responsibilities.

The high cost of fuel makes the four-day week all the more important, Hoyer's letter said. "In these times of high gasoline prices, I believe the federal government should do all it can to ensure that federal agencies and departments are appropriately reducing gasoline consumption. This goal can be accomplished with the adoption of personnel policies to limit unnecessary commuting."

He noted that "state and local governments across the nation, including New Mexico, Virginia, and Utah, are implementing 4-day work weeks to conserve energy, reduce fuel consumption, and alleviate congestion."

Flexible hours are important not only for current employees, but also for attracting potential recruits. "Additionally, given current demographic predictions," the document continues, "federal employers will have to offer employees more flexibility in their work lives if they are to successfully recruit and retain qualified workers"

According to OPM, the "use of flexible and compressed work schedules helped agencies recruit for some hard-to-fill jobs and helped agencies retain employees who otherwise would have resigned or been terminated."

Complaints of Bias Decline

Complaints about discrimination in the federal workplace are dropping, according to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

On Tuesday, EEOC Chairwoman Naomi C. Earp released the Annual Report on the Federal Work Force for fiscal year 2007.

"The report shows that in FY 2007, federal employees and applicants filed 16,363 complaints alleging employment discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, religion, age, disability and reprisal -- down from 16,723 complaints in FY 2006 and 18,000 complaints in FY 2005," according to an EEOC statement.

During the past decade, Latinos, African Americans and Asians in the federal government have slightly increased, but the number of people with disabilities has declined.

More information is available at http://www.eeoc.gov.

Air Traffic Controllers' Pay

Sens. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) and James M. Inhofe (R-Okla.) have introduced legislation that would reverse work rules and pay rates imposed on air traffic controllers two years ago by the Bush administration.

The imposed rates cut controller income, leading many to quit or retire.

"The administration's heavy-handed tactics have forced experienced air traffic controllers out the door in record numbers," Lautenberg said. "It's time we treat these workers with the respect they deserve."

Per Diem Rates to Rise

If you're a federal employee who has the option of taking a business trip at the end of September or early in October, later might be better.

The General Services Administration has announced new per diem rates for federal employees. The rates, which take effect Oct. 1, are almost 4 percent higher than those for the current fiscal year.

The average individual per diem rate for fiscal year 2009 will be $165, up from $158 this year. The rates cover lodging (excluding taxes), meals and incidental expenses.

Don't despair if no hotel can be found at the listed rates. "If lodging is not available at your temporary duty location, your agency may authorize or approve the maximum per diem rate of up to 300 percent of per diem for the location where lodging is obtained," according to the Federal Travel Regulation.

Detailed information about per diem rates can be found at http://www.gsa.gov/perdiem.

Contact Joe Davidson atfederaldiary@washpost.com.