Why a 4-Day Workweek Sucks for Moms

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Why a 4-Day Workweek Sucks for Moms

Monday, August 4, 2008

What would you do if your entire job schedule got turned upside down? One mom is asking for answers.

Recently, Governor Jon Huntsman Jr. announced the "Working 4 Utah" four-day workweek initiative for the state of Utah. Kentucky, South Carolina, Alabama, and Hawaii state offices have also adopted four-day workweek schedules, and Vermont, Colorado, Michigan, and New Mexico are considering doing the same. Utah's policy, which goes into effect today, will close 1,000 businesses for an extra day a week to cut energy use by 20 percent and save $3 million a year when in full swing. Employees save gas and money, too. Sounds great, right? Not to everyone.  

The new policy is wreaking havoc on working and single moms who are left scrambling to adjust to a different schedule, i.e. four 10-hour days. Who will get their kids off to school or pick them up, much less shuttle them to after-school soccer practice or Boy Scout meetings? Opponents say taking two hours a day away from their kids makes it more difficult to read, do homework or sit down together as a family to eat dinner.

Mylitta Barrett, 48, a business analyst for the state of Utah and a single mother of three, has questions, too -- and she's asking for answers.   She tells momlogic why this new policy is a blow to working moms everywhere.

momlogic: What were you told about the reasons for implementing a 4-day a week rule?

Mylitta: We were informed in mid-July that in just three weeks, our schedules would change from a traditional five-day, eight-hour workweek to a compacted one in which we work from 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday. When it was announced, my company acted like they were doing us a big favor because this way, working moms would get to spend 'more time' with their kids (but they're in school anyway on our new day off), we'd save gas commuting to and from work, and ultimately we'd serve the public better by having extended hours.   

momlogic: What was the initial reaction of your co-workers?

Mylitta: All the moms panicked. It's so difficult to find a daycare situation perfectly tailed to your needs. Most daycares don't open before 7:00 a.m., when we have to report to duty. My 14-year-old son Joseph has cerebral palsy and suffers from other serious medical problems. We have a specific routine in the morning before I send him to school and now I won't be there in the mornings to help him get dressed and take his medicine. I'll have to train someone else to care for him -- and pay extra for it.   

momlogic: How else will this impact your life?

Mylitta: Well, for one, the rule is pointless. Our office computers, and electricity will stay on for 40 hours a week whether or not we're there for eight hours over a five-day week or 10 hours over a four-day week. What's more, if I need to leave work early to pick up one of my kids, instead of leaving an hour early, I'll have to leave two hours early, leaving me behind in my duties. When can I find the time to make up for that? I'll also be exhausted in the evenings, but as a single mom, I'll still have to help with homework and make dinner for three children. Sick days will now require 10 hours rather than 8. Many mothers are looking for new jobs because they need a family-friendly flexible environment -- how this job used to be.  

momlogic: What would you like to see happen?

Mylitta: If you're not a mom, this is a great situation to be in. However, I wish my schedule could go back to the way it was. Better yet, I would like an adjustment period to figure out how to make this work. After all, I didn't learn how to be a single working mother overnight. It's unfair that I'm being asked to adjust to a new lifestyle overnight.

What do you think of the 4-day workweek?

14 comments so far | Post a comment now >>

I love the idea of a 4-day work week!

- Anonymous

Posted 08/04/08 06:37 PM

I think it sucks for people who can’t swing it. I, personally wouldn’t mind a 4 day work week. But then again, think about it. You can’t do much. Banks would be closed, your favorite stores. etc. What the hell? Stupid law maybe. Saving gas and electricity would be much more easily accomplished by utilizing, wind/solar/hydrogen power. Those magical little things that work as well if not more efficiently than gas… Just saying.

- Anonymous

Posted 08/04/08 07:05 PM

I just don’t understand how these employers can get away with this. I’m not the kind of person who says “sue ‘em!” very often, but in this case, I think these moms should seek legal counsil. No way would I put up with this.

- dixiegirl

Posted 08/04/08 08:09 PM

Notice it is about “saving” energy? Which means the businesses save on energy costs. It’s not about what is best for a particular business or it’s workforce. How quickly business forgets their best asset is good employees. Decades ago I worked for a sporting goods company for a seasonal sport. We tried the 4 day work week. It was great for about the first two weeks. The rest of the summer it was a drag. Exhausting at the end. There are other ways to cut energy use and costs without resorting to a 4 day work week no one wants.

- Marleah

Posted 08/04/08 10:48 PM

Its hard enough to be a single mom with a regular work week schedule but to have it change that quickly is not only unfair to the employees but to their children and families. People in general just don’t think clearly these days. And what’s with this “GREEN” crap anyway. It seems that people only care about saving something when it benefits them. Proof that the only thing “GREEN” anymore is money. Why not allow them to work from home then you’ll be cutting costs in half AND saving energy?

- meg24_83

Posted 08/05/08 09:21 AM

I think that in some cases a 4-day work week works out for some people, but what employers need to recognize is that in many states it is illegal to have your child in a child care facility for more than 10 hours. What are the single parents supposed to do then? Or the parents who might have a spouse who travels a lot or anyone else without the convienence of another person to help with the child care? It is an insensitive policy that caters to people who are single or not the primary care giver for their children. It also costs more if you have to hire someone to do before and after care, and most places don’t give you a break on weekly or monthly child care if you send your kids only 4 days a week versus 5. For parents already stretching it in these tough times this could cause an undue financial hardship.

- Melmom

Posted 08/05/08 11:53 AM

“Mylitta: If you’re not a mom, this is a great situation to be in.” Please don’t speak for me. I am a mom and I think its great! Some of us moms stay at home to raise our children and love the idea of our husbands having only a 4 day week.

- Anonymous

Posted 08/05/08 12:25 PM

I would gladly accept this offer, if given to me. Although, my kids are alittle older (15 and 9) this will still enable me to be there more.

- D Upson

Posted 08/05/08 12:28 PM

For those of us who are single, working moms, this would be terrible. This should never have been a requirement; it should have been a choice.

- Katie

Posted 08/05/08 12:47 PM

This is only an experiment. These states are trying this schedule for a limited time. I think its a year, I can’t remember. At least with all this talk about “going green” and energy conservation SOMEONE got off their butts and are attempting to try something that could work. This wasn’t spur of the moment either. It has been it talks since gas prices shot up and I think 3 weeks notice is enough time to make arrangements. I worked for a daycare before I had my son and the hours were 6:00am-7:00pm with a shuttle to local schools for those who came for the before school program and a shuttle to bring them back for the after school program. This idea isnt completely impossible. People just make it impossible Besides, if you were part of a company that got bought out or merged with another company you don’t really have a say on what policies they adopt. If you don’t like them, quit and find a new job. This experiment is for STATE buildings. That means that everyone who DOESN”T work for the state has the same schedule as before unless your boss decides otherwise. Oh ya, goodluck getting your boss to let you telecommute. Those jobs are rare. Most employers like to see warm bodies in the office to make sure your actually working. The issue with having more time with the kids is true. So what if they are in school. Get all of the errands and weekly chores done in the 7 hours they are at school and “POOF” you have ALL day Sat. and Sun. to hang with the fam and do all sorts of fun activities because you don’t have to do chores or run errands because you did them all on Fri. before they got home from school.

- QueenBee

Posted 08/05/08 03:11 PM

For the majority of us single working mothers, this is a nightmare! I have a child with Lissencephaly and I have no idea how I would make something like this work! Thankfully they haven’t brought that here yet. I think it is a safe bet that the people that came up with this were not working single moms! It sounds like a good idea on the surface but did they think it through before they decided to put it into action?

- Gilly

Posted 08/05/08 07:01 PM

I have been working the 4-10’s for many years-some of them before my children were even born. When my kids came along, there was some adjustment that needed to be done, but for the most part, it is great!! I have just learned to utilize the extra day off (while they are in school) to get my housework done, errands, shopping and cooking-I cook for the week to save time after work. The quality of the time I spend with my kids is great-and I have Fridays to go to school occasionally, and participate in classroom time (reading, helping with parties, assemblies,etc.)

- Nina

Posted 08/06/08 02:05 PM

Nina - I think it is great that you can go to your kids school and help out on Fridays! I’m curious how you handle the Monday through Thursday after school part though.

- Gilly

Posted 08/07/08 02:11 PM

I think it is a great idea, but it cause adjustments to be made statewide, Daycares would have to change their hours past 6 pm . Sporting Teams would have to have later practices. Schools would have to adjust their curriculum to meet homework requirements. You see we are a nation of idiots. We make a change to save money for some but we don’t care about others. Ask yourself why again did we vote for Obama?

- Don H.

Posted 03/27/09 01:32 PM