Saco city officials will move to a four-day work week schedule for a four-month period as an approach to improving working conditions.
New operations are planned to get underway on Feb. 5, according to officials, with the city hall operating during normal hours Monday through Thursday and closing early on Friday. The plan will allow officials to determine if operating City Hall with adjusted hours works for community members, with the building closing at 1 p.m. on Fridays instead of at 4 p.m.
City Hall employees will continue to experience a 37.5-hour work week, without changes to their pay rates or benefits, according to city spokesperson Emily Roy. In addition, the city is expanding the services it provides via its town website, and residents will be able to pay city bills and locate information about town services through an online portal.
Saco follows Biddeford, Scarborough and Gorham in adopting a four-day work week model, as the movement gains national attention and support.
Shelly MacNeill, who moved to Biddeford full-time after securing a job that offered a four-day work week. Last year, she said that the experience has been a life-altering change in a positive way.
Proponents of a four-day work week often point to the fact that giving employees more time outside of work, without changes in pay and benefits, can help to improve employee morale and retention. Town and city offices in Maine have experienced a flurry of employee turnover since the COVID-19 pandemic, and many in the job market are much more discerning about benefits offered by potential employers.
