As the single largest employer in Georgia with nearly 90,000 employees, Gov. Perdue recognized during his campaign that state government needed to develop a comprehensive telework program to reduce traffic congestion and set a positive example to Georgia's private sector employers. "Work Away will improve the quality of life for thousands of Georgians who spend countless hours commuting over long distances or on traffic filled roads," said Perdue. "This program will reduce traffic and increase the productivity of employees while defining state government as a model for high-tech business practices. " The governor will begin by encouraging state employees to participate in the Work Away program. The program will then be expanded by appealing to the corporate world to adopt telework and other work schedule alternatives.
In addition to the Work Away program, there are other work-life alternatives available to state employees. Employees can opt for work schedules with flexible starting and ending times that still meet the organization's core hours. Other alternative work plans include a two-week work schedule of nine-hour days that results in an additional day off during the same work period, and the compressed workweek with four 10-hour days where the 40-hour workweek is achieved in four days.
Perdue also announced the final details of his "Georgia Gets Going" transportation bond package totaling $424 million which included money for arterial road improvement and transit projects in Metro Atlanta.
There will be a total of $2.15 billion in transportation funds appropriated in FY04 including the "Georgia Gets Going" package. Approximately half of that total is spent in the Metro non-attainment counties, with about $900 million being spent specifically on congestion mitigation projects.
