Some state Department of Human Resources Development employees say a three-month experiment with a four-day workweek went well.

One woman called the compressed workweek with 10-hour days “;favorable”; and said she would support its permanent adoption.

The pilot project is coming to a close but continues with the Health Department as officials assess the effect on customer service.

On Monday the Human Resources Development Department will resume its normal operating hours: Monday through Friday, 7:45 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with recruitment counter hours the same days from 7:45 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

The state launched the pilot to determine whether expenses, including electricity costs, and traffic congestion could be reduced and employees' quality of life improved.

Lt. Gov. James Aiona said in a news release that the project's top priority is to ensure that the state can maintain the same level of service to the public under a compressed workweek.

The Department of Health's Kinau Hale offices will continue the schedule until Dec. 5. About 270 Health Department employees started four-day workweeks Oct. 13.

While the 111 human resource employees are not union members, the Health Department employees mostly are, said Randy Perreira, executive director of the Hawaii Government Employees Association.

He said a permanent four-day workweek generally will not present a problem for the union contract because language addressing a four-day workweek already is in place. However, personal hardships, such as finding adult day care or working around a second job, need to be accommodated before the change is permanently adopted, he said.

Jesse Koike, 48, a downtown resident, said the four-day format made operations in his department “;a lot smoother.”;

“;It's working out well for us,”; he said, adding that employees have more time at the end of the day to catch up with paperwork.

But there are some drawbacks. Koike, who oversees 11 employees as a clerk supervisor, said his employees are tired from the longer days. The longer hours also mean less sunlight for employees, who leave for work and return home when it is dark.

Despite the changes, Koike said he likes the four-day week.

Office Assistant Georgiana Santana was skeptical of the new hours but became a supporter. She was allowed to come in earlier - at 6 instead of 7:15 a.m. - and leave earlier - at 4:45 instead of 6 p.m. - to make it home to care for her 86-year-old mother.

“;It's working out really well,”; she said, adding that she enjoyed using her Fridays off to take her mother to the doctor or run errands without missing work.

The state said results from the two pilot projects will help determine whether a four-day workweek should be implemented permanently.