Gas Prices Ushering In Four-Day Workweeks?
The daily grind -- driving to work five days a week -- is grinding a hole in motorists' pocketbooks with gas prices topping $4 a gallon and showing no signs of heading south anytime soon.
One solution being given a shot by a growing number of companies and government agencies, reports CBS News correspondent Bianca Solorzano, is the four-day workweek.
"(Driving to work is) a lot of out-of-pocket expense before you make any money," noticed one driver.
Under a four-day workweek, Solorzano explains, people put in their usual 40 hours spread over four days instead of five -- and save on the cost of driving on that fifth day.
"If the 20th century was about the five-day workweek, nine-to-five (p.m.), the 21st century is going to be about flexibility," says Michelle Conlin, working life editor of BusinessWeek magazine.
But, she adds, four-day weeks aren't for everyone: "Certainly, for manufacturing lines, for retail, for 24-hour customer service support and things like that, this isn't applicable."
Still, it saves an employee of a Nashville, Tenn. dental office trying it $25 a week.
At Mid-South Community College in West Memphis, Ark., four-day workweeks are in effect for the summer. The campus shuts down on Fridays, saving the school 10 percent on utilities -- not to mention gas money for students and employees.
"When you have things happen in your economy that are as powerful or difficult to deal with as $4 gasoline, it makes you rethink a lot of your strategies," observes Dr. Glen Fenter, president if Mid-South CC.
Some government agencies are switching, as well, and even more are considering it.
Suffolk County, N.Y. just launched a pilot program after a unanimous vote by its lawmakers.
"If we have one-fifth fewer drivers on the road, nationwide, we can save 1.6 million barrels of oil a day," points out Suffolk Legislator Wayne Horsley.
It's also being mulled, among others, by New Mexico for state employees. Gov. Bill Richardson chatted about it with Early Show co-anchor Harry Smith Wednesday.
To see Solorzano's report and the Richardson interview, click on the arrow in the image below: