NORTH WHITEHALL TWP., Pa. — The North Whitehall Township staff soon will have three-day weekends every weekend.
The township on Feb. 20 will start a trial period for a four-day work week for its public works and administrative staff.
- North Whitehall Township staff on Feb. 20 will begin a trial period of a four-day work week
- The new municipal building hours will be 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Thursday
- If a resident has an issue on a day the office is closed, he or she should call dispatch to be connected with whomever is on call
The trial period likely will last about a year.
Township Manager Randy Cope said supervisors can end the trial period at any time if it's not working.
Staff will begin a nine-hour, four-day work week schedule. The new municipal building hours will be 7:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday. Currently, the hours are 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
Cope said he spoke with officials at other municipalities who implemented a similar schedule — the closest one being New Hanover Township in Montgomery County.
“The individuals I did speak to did not see a decrease in performance," Cope said. "In fact, they actually saw an increase, which I thought was interesting.
"The individuals I did speak to did not see a decrease in performance. In fact, they actually saw an increase."Randy Cope, township manager
“Sounds like there's a little bit more motivation, an urge to have their Friday off, which is a great benefit.”
The yearly pay for township staff will remain the same — meaning hourly wages will increase 10% because they will work four fewer hours a week.
Cope said the township will track potential increases to the overtime pay budget, as well as changes to the electric bill and the cost of gas.
“We're trying to monitor all of that to see what the true impact is,” Cope said.
Resident TJ Vanvreede brought up concerns about the decreased access to township staff. Cope said the township is looking into installing lock boxes in the renovated municipal building lobby so residents can pick up permits when the building is closed.
Cope said if residents have issues on a day the office is closed, they should call dispatch to be connected with whoever is on call.
The tax collector’s office may be open on Friday; Cope said tax collectors decide their own hours.
Cope said township staff considered staggering their schedules so the office still would be open Monday to Friday, but because the staff is so small, they decided it would be better if everyone had the same schedule.
