Long Weekends may Help Companies skip Layoffs

According to msnbc.com, numerous companies that are facing economic hardships because of the recession are questioning whether adding multiple long weekends per year will allow them to parlay firing employees. Employees in question can also have the option to choose the weekends they would like a three day weekend. However, these three day weekends would be unpaid, but a day less of pay is a better option for everyone instead of losing a job.

"Employees would receive no pay for their furlough days, but their benefits — health care, retirement, pension contributions, and so on — would continue uninterrupted. Starting and stopping these benefits multiple times would be like trying to do the same to an aircraft carrier," writes Frank Ahrens. He adds, "Employers could save billions in salary expenses — savings that could prevent layoffs and free up capital for growth or to aid the company's balance sheet. Companies that make layoffs typically see a quick spike in stock price but often suffer longer-term image problems that hurt their value as they begin to be seen as unhealthy. For workers, there could be numerous benefits. And they wouldn't necessarily have to give up their earning power."

One benefit of doing this is that employees have control over their fate at the workplace, and will not have to fear decisions of their bosses. In addition, on their days off, workers can add a second income job to help them and their families get by.

This is one of the first positive articles I have read about jobs and the economy. For one, very few media sources actually provide solutions to the economic crisis. Also, this plan could work and be beneficial to all, and will hopefully save a lot of jobs. Maybe if newspapers and MSNBC shows shared more progress and solutions such as this, people would not be as pessimistic as they are about the recession.