San Juan County says a four-day, 32-hour work week saved nearly $2 million over two years while helping the county avoid tax increases or major service cuts.
County officials released a final two-year report showing the shortened work schedule allowed San Juan County to manage its budget through 2024 and 2025 without raising current expense taxes or significantly reducing staff or public services.
The 32-hour work week, adopted in 2023 during labor negotiations, helped the county avoid nearly $2 million in projected cost-of-living expenses tied to a traditional 40-hour schedule, according to the report.
Officials said those savings eased pressure as operating costs rose and revenue growth remained limited.
“As we face tighter fiscal years ahead, preserving the gains afforded by the 32HWW is even more critical,” County Manager Jessica Hudson said. “With limited resources, we’re using every tool available to manage our finances responsibly and conservatively, and the 32HWW has proven to be a valuable resource.”
Beyond budget relief, the county reported measurable changes in its workforce.
Job applications increased by an average of 216% after the new schedule was adopted, while the time needed to fill open positions dropped by about 27%.
Voluntary separations, including resignations and retirements, declined by roughly 28% over the two-year period.
Employee time and attendance data showed fewer sick days were used under the shortened work week.
According to the report, sick leave dropped by an average of 18%, including a 21% decline during peak flu season.
While full-time schedules were reduced by 20%, total hours worked across county departments fell by only 13%, a change the county attributed to fewer vacancies and steady hours for part-time and seasonal staff.
The work-week change emerged during negotiations for the county’s 2023–25 labor contract.
Union representatives sought higher cost-of-living adjustments and expanded benefits tied to inflation and regional wage comparisons.
County leaders said meeting those requests under a 40-hour model would have pushed the budget beyond what taxpayers could support.
The 32-hour schedule was adopted as a compromise that preserved employee pay while limiting long-term costs.
County officials acknowledged the transition has not been seamless.
The report points to ongoing challenges with coordinating schedules between departments, clearly communicating office hours to the public, and balancing workloads—particularly for exempt managers who often continue working more than 32 hours per week.
Despite those issues, county leaders said the results were strong enough to make the 32-hour work week permanent.
The county will no longer issue regular progress reports but plans to continue refining the schedule using employee and community feedback while keeping the reduced work week as the standard for operations.
“We’ll continue working to leverage the benefits of this schedule and continue serving the public effectively and responsibly within our fiscal means,” Hudson said.
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