FEDERAL EMPLOYEES FLEXIBLE AND COMPRESSED WORK SCHEDULES ACT OF 1982

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP85-00003R000300070002-2
• Release Decision: RIFPUB
• Original Classification: K
• Document Page Count: 1
• Document Creation Date: December 20, 2016
• Document Release Date: May 3, 2007
• Sequence Number: 2
• Publication Date: July 23, 1982
• Content Type: OPEN SOURCE

inistration of Ronald Reagan, 1982
desire, which we had previ-
, to return to Washington
jis with deep regret that I
uest " and accept your resig-
rman of the Council of Eco-
effective September first.
s appreciate the extraordi-
ions you have made to the
lvocacy, and refinement of
our Economic Recovery Pro-
,e applied not only the tools
jut also prudent judgment, to
f the economic challenges
at home and abroad.
;ouncil deliberations, in con-
jthe Federal Reserve, in the
roika," in public, testimony,
as diverse as O.E.C.D. and
yours has consistently been
ice.
iss you-and your remark-
combine clarity of insight
al science" with unfailing
to your academic and pri-
I practice, Nancy and I wish
st.
or a job well done,
4urray L. Weidenbaum, Chair-
July 20, 1982
nt:
ry considerable reluctance
resignation as Chairman of
Economic Advisers. It has
,privilege to serve in your
I uring this period of funda-
'n economic policy. Yet the
or me to return to Washing-
hich is expecting me to be
ptember.
difficult adjustments are far
I believe that it is becoming
Economic Recovery Pro-
ing in shifting the balance
he Federal government to
the private sector. Important progress has
been made in achieving this objective on all
four fronts: reducing the average citizen's
tax burden, slowing down the growth of
government spending, reforming the costly
and burdensome regulatory apparatus, and
moderating the growth of the money
supply.
From the outset, we have said that yours
is a long-term program, unlike the quick
fixes of the past. The substantial reduction
in inflation is heartening evidence of the
progress that has been made. Yet the over-
all condition of the economy underscores
both the difficulty of carrying out funda-
mental changes as well as the continuing
need to move ahead on each of the four
key aspects of economic policy in order to
achieve your basic goal of restoring the eco-
nomic strength of our country.
I will carry with me many fond memories
of working with you and the outstanding
people that you have attracted in your Ad-
ministration. I leave you with the best of
wishes fbr your continued health, happiness,
and success.
Sincerely,
Federal Employees Flexible and
Compressed Work Schedules Act of
Statement on Signing S. 2240 Into Law.
July 23, 1982
I am pleased to sign into law the Federal
Employees Flexible and Compressed Work
Schedules Act of 1982.
This act extends for 3 years the authority
of Federal agencies to allow employees
more flexibility in scheduling their work-
weeks. For example, where the nature of
the work allows, employees may work 4 10-
hour days per week, or begin their workday
earlier or later than usual. The total time on
the job remains the same, but the particular
hours when the work is performed can
vary. -
For the past 3 years, the Federal Govern-
ment has been experimenting with these
alternative work schedules, following the
lead of a number of private companies that
found this kind of work scheduling benefi-
cial. In the Government, too, most of the
experiments were successful. Productivity
increases were noted in some agencies, and
many offices were able to stay open longer
hours to serve the public.
These alternative work schedules also had
a very positive effect on the morale of em-
ployees, who were able to adjust their work
schedules to meet personal needs. This was
particularly important to working mothers
who used the flexibility in scheduling work
hours to help them meet their responsibil-
ities both at home and at the office. The
overwhelming majority of Federal employ-
ees taking- part in the experimental pro-
gram said that it allowed them to spend
more time with their families, as well as
providing a better opportunity to partici-
pate in their children's school activities. It is
especially rewarding to support a program
that allows people to recapture some of the
benefits of 'close family ties in an era when
employment trends have been pushing us
the other way.
As you would expect with an experimen-
tal program, there were some Federal agen-
cies where alternative work schedules did
not work too well-where there were prob-
lems of accountability or where the de-
mands of the public business were not well
served. The act I am signing today recog-
nizes the danger of such problems and
gives Federal managers the necessary tools
to prevent such problems from developing,
or to deal with them if they do. I should
also note that Federal employee unions will
be fully involved in working with agency
managers to see that alternative work
schedules are used in ways that will meet
the needs of both Federal employees and
the taxpayers.
Finally, I would like to commend Senator
Ted Stevens for his legislative skill and per-
severance in getting all of the parties in-
volved in this issue to join together in sup-
port of the act.
Note: As enacted, S. 2240 is Public Law 97-
221, approved July 23.