Saint John City Hall takes its first Friday off for one-year pilot program

The first of several long weekends for employees at Saint John City Hall caught a few residents by surprise Friday.

A one-year pilot project took effect this week that will see most municipal offices closed Friday through Sunday.

An unspecified number of employees will have a "compressed" work week where they’ll work longer hours Monday through Thursday, and have Friday off.

Morning and evening hours have been extended by two hours (8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.), Monday through Thursday, at city service centres.

Specific municipal services and facilities, including the City Market, recreational locations, public works, transit, and parking enforcement are not included in the pilot program and will continue to operate as usual.

Several people appeared throughout the day on Friday to pay bills or fines at city hall, only to find locked doors.

"That’s not good for me," said Roger Goguen, who was trying to discuss a parking ticket at city hall on Friday. "I work Monday through Friday, I get every second Friday off. So that doesn’t work out for me at all."

City councillors unanimously approved the pilot program in late September.

Saint John Mayor Donna Reardon said a few concerns had been raised to her directly about the change in schedules.

"What I’ve heard mostly from the public is 'I applaud for at least trying and thinking progressively,'" said Reardon on Friday.

City Manager John Collin said four-day work week policies from around the world were researched beforehand with a focus on employee recruitment and retention.

"The literature is very clear," said Collin an interview last month. "Almost everybody without exception has said that it has been beneficial and they wish they would’ve done it years ago. I’m quite optimistic we’ll get the same result."