SR23

WHEREAS, the term "workplace flexibility" includes the options of flex time, telecommuting, and compressed work weeks;

WHEREAS, section 76-1.6, Hawaii Revised Statutes, provides that the offices of the State and counties must be open for the transaction of business as determined by the chief executive; and

WHEREAS, state departments generally have the discretion to set the work hours for its employees; and

WHEREAS, state departments have some operations that serve the public face-to-face, which require normal business hours of 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., or the normally accepted business; and

WHEREAS, state departments may desire to make accommodation in work hours for the personal convenience of individual workers, such as for child care or transportation; and

WHEREAS, telecommuting and compressed work weeks may be feasible for some state agencies; and

WHEREAS, line managers must ensure adequate office staffing to meet public service needs, which may not be feasible with flex time; and

WHEREAS, in deciding whether or not to allow telecommuting from home as an option, managers must consider workers' compensation and other liability concerns, plus additional equipment, telephone lines, and other expenses; and

WHEREAS, the Department of Human Resources Development has negotiated a memorandum of understanding with the Hawaii Government Employees Association that makes it easier for departments to implement "alternative workweek programs" for their workforces, with various individual scheduling options for daily work times and designated days; and

WHEREAS, the Department of Human Resources Development also has a "flexible working hours policy and procedure" for full-time and part-time state employees, affording employees the opportunity to arrange their individual work schedules according to specific guidelines and within certain time limits established by management, such as glide-time and staggered hours; and

WHEREAS, at the Department of Human Resources Development, more than half of its employees are currently participating in flexible work schedule options; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Twenty-fourth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2007, that the Department of Human Resources Development is requested to conduct a study of workplace flexibility options, including:

(1) Data on the agencies, departments, and employees that participate in the program;

(2) Data on the workplace flexibility options chosen by participating employees;

(3) Effect on employee productivity levels and employee morale;

(4) Estimates on the amount and cost of gasoline saved and transportation time saved by employees due to participation in the program;

(5) Other findings, recommendations, including proposed legislation, if any, and pertinent information about the pilot program and its impact, consequences, or benefits on participating departments or agencies; and

(6) Past experience of departments and agencies with utilizing workplace flexibility options; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Human Resources Development submit a report on findings and recommendations to the Legislature no later than twenty days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2008; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a certified copy of this Resolution be transmitted to the Director of Human Resources Development.

	OFFERED BY:	_____________________________

Report Title:

Workplace Flexibility Study

THE SENATE	S.R. NO.	23
TWENTY-FOURTH LEGISLATURE, 2007
STATE OF HAWAII