ANNOUNCING NEW VLJ Business HOURS
VLJ is piloting a 4-day work week from May through October. Effective May 1, 2024, VLJ’s business hours will be Monday - Thursday, from 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM Eastern; the office is closed on Friday.
While the 4-day work week is a change to when we work, it is not a change to how we work. VLJ will not eliminate programs nor reduce the number of clients we serve. Our team will continue at the same high level of service you have come to expect from us.
VLJ has ambitious service delivery goals in 2024 across all our programs and we plan to meet every single one of them. We believe our team can do that while also living healthy, sustainable lives outside of work, increasing the chances those familiar names and faces already doing incredible work will remain with us for the long term. The staff is excited and ready for this challenge.
Read more from VLJ’s Executive Director, Cathy Keenan, on the 4DWW pilot.
frequently asked questions (faqs)
What if I need to contact VLJ on a Friday?
Rest assured, if an emergency arises on Friday you can reach us at (973) 645-1955, a number that will be monitored by VLJ staff. We just ask that you reserve this for genuine emergencies that must be resolved on Friday, otherwise, the team will get back to you on Monday. Current clients, volunteers, and partners should experience no disruption in the services we provide.
We will not respond to new client applicants on Friday; however, VLJ’s online intake is available at all times HERE.
Will VLJ’s services be reduced or delivered at a slower pace?
No! This schedule means VLJ staff will be more focused and productive when they are working. Even with reduced hours, VLJ intends to serve the same number of clients per year (if not more) with the same level of service.
Why are you starting this pilot?
VLJ is an organization that puts people first—our clients, our volunteers, and our staff. To continue serving our clients and making progress toward our larger goals, the health and wellness of our team must be a priority. As VLJ is, and always has been, a women-led organization, a 4-day work week is also a purposeful move toward a more gender-equitable work week for women who regularly come home to a second shift of unpaid caregiving and family responsibilities. At VLJ, we are looking toward the future and believe the 4-day work week will enable our team to take on legal challenges for years to come. We are in the fight for justice for the long haul.
Have 4-day week pilots been successful elsewhere?
VLJ is working with 4 Day Week Global, an international leader in reshaping how we think about work, to design and implement our pilot. There is a growing body of domestic and international research on the benefits of a 4-day work week. Perhaps you saw the results of the most recent successful pilot in the United Kingdom involving 2,900 employees at 61 diverse companies or heard that U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders proposed a 4-day work week in the United States? The conclusion of the pilots that have gone before us is the 4-day work week works. 4 Day Week Global reports that in their pilots, 54% of participating companies reported an increase in work ability, 64% reported a reduction in burnout, and 63% found it easier to attract new talent.
How will you monitor your progress?
With the help of researchers from Boston College, VLJ will methodically track data about our productivity, health and well-being, client and volunteer service, effect on retention and recruitment, and impact on our financial position. That data will be shared monthly with the full VLJ staff and VLJ’s Personnel Committee to make sure we stay on track with meeting our goals.
What if I have questions or feedback about the pilot?
Clients, volunteers, and partners should experience no disruption in the services we provide.
If you have questions about the pilot program or would like to give us your thoughts about how we are doing, please send us an email at vlj@vljnj.org.