University Offices to Implement Four-Day Week for Summer

To reduce costs and energy consumption this summer, Truman is piloting a four-day-a-week office operating schedule.

As Truman works to meet the significant financial challenges resulting from the economic fallout of the COVID-19 pandemic, all aspects of University operations are being examined. This modified schedule can also reduce commuting costs for employees.

Beginning May 11, University offices will be open Monday through Thursday and, at a minimum, cover the hours of 8 a.m.-5 p.m. University offices will be closed Fridays. It is anticipated that the modified summer schedule will be in effect through July 24. Early projections estimate a savings of several thousand dollars on energy this summer.

As all summer courses are being offered in alternative delivery formats and do not require University offices to be open, they will be held as indicated in the summer schedule of courses.

Staff are required to work 40 hours during each four-day week. Supervisors will contact staff to determine preferred work schedules. A typical work schedule would be 7:30 a.m.-6 p.m., with a 30-minute lunch break. A staff member can also choose to work eight hours for each of the four days and use vacation for the remaining eight hours, or work nine hours for each of the four days and use vacation for the remaining four hours. Additional details about how employees who use Time Clock will log their hours, and a suggested out-of-office telephone message and email response, can be provided by Human Resources.

It is important to note that neither the move to a four-day-a-week office operating schedule nor the expiration of Governor Parson’s stay-at-home order on May 4 means that all employees will be returning to campus to work. Truman will follow the White House and CDC Guidelines for Opening Up America Again, and in Phase One, the recommendation is to, “Continue to ENCOURAGE TELEWORK, whenever possible and feasible with business operations.” As such, staff who can work from home will continue to work from home.  Supervisors will contact staff whose work-from-home status has changed.

As additional strategies to effectively address current and future budget challenges are developed and implemented in the coming weeks, the University will continue to follow the guiding principle of balancing, to the greatest extent possible, the financial needs of each employee with the financial needs of the University.