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Web Delivery to Assist Hawaii State Department of Health Four-Day Work Week Pilot

"Our top priority is to ensure that the state maintains the same level of service to the public."

Hawaii Lt. Governor James R. "Duke" Aiona, Jr. yesterday announced the Hawaii State Department of Health (DOH) is joining the four-day work week pilot project that was originally implemented at the State Department of Human Resources Development (DHRD) in August. The DOH's eight-week pilot involves all offices housed in the Kinau Hale Building at 1250 Punchbowl Street (approximately 269 employees), and will begin Monday, October 13, 2008 and end Friday, December 5, 2008.

Kinau Hale provides direct service to the public for the registration and issuance of certified copies of vital records. The birth, death and marriage certificates window and registration staff will have expanded hours of 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. and marriage license hours will be expanded from 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Thursday, and closed on Fridays. When Kinau Hale is closed, certain services will be handled by staff and private agents on an as-needed basis. Certified copies of birth and marriage certificates can be ordered online at http://www.ehawaiigov.org/ohsm. All other offices within Kinau Hale will operate from 7:15 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Monday through Thursday, and will be closed on Fridays during the pilot project.

The Lingle-Aiona administration launched the pilot program to explore the potential of decreasing expenses, including electricity costs, and reducing traffic congestion. In addition, the shift in state government operating hours could help improve the quality of life for employees by providing an opportunity for them to balance work and family needs.

"We have asked the Department of Health to join the pilot project, so we can better assess how the modified work week will affect service to the public," said Aiona. "Our top priority is to ensure that the state maintains the same level of service to the public."

"As public stewards of taxpayer money, we want to evaluate whether a compressed work week would be in the best interests of our citizens and our state," Aiona added. "Our administration is constantly looking for innovative, outside-the-box solutions to improve government service and increase the quality of life for our residents."

Now in the 10th week of the pilot project, DHRD Director Marie Laderta reports positive reaction from the public and the employees.

"This is the 10th week of our pilot and recent internal surveys indicate most employees have adjusted well to the revised schedule; overall morale is high, and job applicants have told us they are glad to have the additional hours to do business with DHRD," said Laderta.

DOH was asked to participate in the pilot project because its participation would:

  • More than double the number of employees participating in the project and, as a result, would allow for collection of more meaningful data and better decision-making at the close of the pilot project
  • Permit more accurate measurement of energy savings
  • Allow better assessment of the popularity of the 4/10 workweek with unionized employees (all DHRD employees are excluded from union representation)
  • Allow better assessment of the general public's reaction to the program (the bulk of DHRD's services are provided to other state departments, with a limited general public component).
Offices within the DOH's Kinau Hale building include: the Office of Health Status Monitoring (including issuance of birth, death and marriage certificates), Director's Office, Communications Office, Health Information Services Office, Human Resources Office, Administrative Services Office, Community Health Division (including the Chronic Disease Management Branch and Public Health Nursing Branch), Family Health Services Branch, Affirmative Action Office, Office of Health Planning, Adult Mental Health Division administration, Developmental Disabilities Division administration, Immunization Branch, Tobacco Settlement office, and Communicable Disease Division administration. Further information on DOH's services may be found at the department's web site at www.hawaii.gov/health.

The state will monitor the impact to DOH's services as well as reduced energy use and other possible savings and benefits during the eight-week pilot period, including employee commute times. DOH will also evaluate the impact to employee productivity and morale, including quality of life issues.

Public feedback on the pilot program will be an important component in the evaluation process and determining what changes might be needed before expanding the program to other departments. Comments may be sent to the Governor's Office at governor.lingle@hawaii.gov.

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