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Work-hour cut reduced to 4 hours
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Posted on Mar 13 2006
The Fitial administration has modified its work-hour reduction plan and now looks at implementing a 36-hour workweek, rather than the initial proposal of a 32-hour workweek.
Press secretary Charles P. Reyes Jr. said yesterday that the administration wanted to give itself the flexibility of adjusting the number of government work hours depending on the amount of future revenue collections.
The Financial Relief Task Force originally recommended that government work period be cut by eight hours a week. But apparently, there had been a misunderstanding within the administration. Gov. Benigno R. Fitial said in his press conference Friday that he thought the reduction would only be four hours a week.
Citing information from acting Finance Secretary Eloy Inos, Reyes said that the administration had decided to take a wait-and-see attitude toward the eight-hour cut.
“We will start with four hours a week. We reserve the option of extending it to eight hours a week, depending on revenue collections,” Reyes said.
Seven garment factories are reportedly expected to shut down within this year and cause more revenue loss to the government.
The government looks to save about $76,000 from each hour reduced from the employees’ work period.
Reyes also said that notification letters would be sent to affected employees within the next few days.
Exemptions would apply to government personnel earning an annual salary of $20,000 or less, as well as those working for essential agencies such as the Department of Public Health, Department of Public Safety, Department of Corrections, Public School System, and the Commonwealth Utilities Corp.
Affected employees who disagree with the reduction will also be given an opportunity to appeal the government’s decision.
“Employees have rights under the civil service regulations. Those who agree can simply concur. Those who don’t will have an opportunity to respond to the notice,” Fitial said Friday. “We expect that all employees will understand that we need to do this, so we can implement the work-hour reduction in 60 days.”
