Halfway into the state's three-month test of the four-day work week, many of the 111 government employees on the new schedule support it and the state is looking to recruit another department to try it.

Marie Laderta, director of the state Department of Human Resources Development, said she wants to put another department on a four-day schedule by the end of the month. If another department is added, she said, the pilot program likely would be extended by at least another month so more data can be gathered.

The city also is studying a shortened week for some city workers, but it's unclear when changes would be made, if at all.

The state's four-day week trial has gotten widespread praise from environmentalists, policymakers and state employees, who see the shortened week as a way to help the environment and significantly cut soaring state energy costs, while boosting morale and giving workers more time with their families.

Many of those participating say they hope to keep the short week.

"I was willing to try it, and lo and behold, I love it," said Cynthia Seaton, a personnel clerk at the Department of Human Resources Development, where the four-day week is being tested. Seaton starts her day at 7 a.m. and ends at 5:45 p.m.

The state's four-day work week pilot project kicked off Aug. 4, with 111 non-unionized human resources employees. It is scheduled to end Oct. 31, unless Laderta can sign up another department. She said bringing another department into the program, which requires mandatory participation, would paint a better picture of the benefits — and downsides — of a four-day work week.

The project comes as states and cities across the country are increasingly eying the four-day schedule as a relatively easy way to cut energy costs, gasoline use and traffic congestion, at a time when government budgets are shrinking and the price of energy remains high.

SAVING MONEY

The shortened week is chiefly designed to save money — reducing energy consumption by closing offices one more day a week, without decreasing services for residents. Utah recently became the first state to institute a four-day week across most of its system, taking more than 17,000 people — or 80 percent of the state workforce — off the road on Fridays. Several other states and cities are experimenting with the schedule, or have moved to it permanently.

In several news conferences, Gov. Linda Lingle has expressed support for instituting the four-day week across the state system, as long as services to the public are not cut, employees approve the new schedule and environmental benefits are gained.

No statistics were yet available on the energy-savings from the pilot. But, Laderta said, "we are showing some savings so far."

The pilot is one of a handful of initiatives, including trying to make office buildings more energy efficient, the state is considering to cut energy consumption.

From 2005 to 2007, the state's electricity bill increased 25 percent, to $117 million annually, though consumption rose by only 2.7 percent over the period.

David Bess, a professor of management at the University of Hawai'i Shidler College of Business, said the four-day week will never be an across-the-board hit with workers. But he said most likely will favor the short week, and the public can be persuaded that closing state offices for an extra day is not such a bad thing.

"In some respects it would be more convenient to have a governmental office open after I get off work or open before I start work," Bess said.

He added that families with young kids will have the toughest time adjusting to the new schedule. Moving to a four-day week can mean finding new child-care options and changing routines.

"Those are the families that have the potential for greatest disruption," he said.

CHANGING ROUTINES

Laderta said surveys of the 111 employees in her department have shown even those who have to change their routines to manage the new schedule are in favor of the four-day week. She said she has heard very few negative responses to the pilot.

The 111 workers are non-unionized workers.

To widen the pilot project to another department, with unionized employees, requires the state to negotiate with the Hawaii Government Employees Agency and enter into a memorandum of agreement to make changes to the existing contract.

Nora Nomura, HGEA deputy executive director for field services, said those negotiations are ongoing and employees in different departments will be surveyed in coming weeks to see how many are in favor of the four-day week. She added that the largest concern likely will be among those with young kids or elderly parents.

Gloria Young, a secretary in the human resources department, said many employees in the pilot who do have children have had to juggle their schedules to be able to work the new hours. For some, she said, "the jury is still out" on whether working longer hours and getting Fridays off means more time with family.

But Young, who doesn't have young children, said she likes the new schedule.

"I really love the Fridays off," she said.

So does Raul Villanueva, a personnel management specialist in the department.

"I didn't know whether I'd like it or not" when it started, he said.

Villanueva added he usually uses his Fridays to run errands.