Venezuela just cut its workweek to 2 days to save electricity

(Image credit: Spencer Platt/Getty Images)

published 27 April 2016

A two-day workweek might sound pretty nice, but the reasoning behind Venezuela's plan isn't. Amid an energy shortage caused by a debilitating drought, Venezuela's government has announced that, in an effort to save energy, public-sector employees will only be working on Mondays and Tuesdays so they can sit out rolling blackouts — mandated by the government to save power — at home rather than in the office. Now, on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, there will be no work except for "fundamental and necessary tasks," Venezuela's Vice President Aristobulo Isturiz said.

The five-day weekend isn't permanent, however. The government says it's only planning to keep the long weekends around until it finally rains, ending the major drought that's reduced water levels at its main hydroelectric dam. Venezuela's president estimates that the two-day workweek, which affects an estimated 2.8 million state employees, will last "at least two weeks."