(Salt Lake Tribune - Editorial) The Huntsman plan to put many state workers on a four-day, 40-hour workweek has a lot going for it. In fact, going - to and from work - is a big part of why it makes sense.

If many workers can reduce their round-trip weekly commutes from five to four, that should save a lot of gasoline.
   

What's more, state government should be able to reduce lighting and temperature-control costs if it cuts a day off the full-on operation of the buildings it occupies.

So we applaud Gov. Jon Huntsman's thinking. The new schedule should save energy, resources and taxpayer dollars while it reduces automobile emissions by a day's worth of commutes.
   

In terms of making public services more convenient, the plan is a trade-off. If state offices operate from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Thursday, as proposed, that will make it easier for people to do business with the state before and after normal working hours. The down side will be that many state offices will be closed on Fridays.
   

Emergency services, law enforcement and the courts will retain their current schedules. So will state colleges.
   

Most workers would jump at the chance for a three-day weekend every week. Several Utah cities, including West Valley City and Provo, have adopted four-day schedules and they report that most employees like it, although a 10-hour workday takes some getting used to. A Brigham Young University study suggests that both morale and productivity improve.
   

Still, the schedule will be a challenge for employees with children. Day care from 6:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. is going to be hard to find, and no parent would relish getting kids ready for elementary school by 6:30 a.m., then figuring out how the children will be supervised until school starts at 8:30 a.m. And how are parents supposed to help with after-school activities when they don't get off work until 6 p.m.?
   

State human resources folks say they will work to create incentives for day-care operators to stay open longer. We would suggest the state do more to provide on-site day care, perhaps charging employees for all or part of the cost.
   

People who hold down second jobs or go to school at night also will be in a pinch.
   

Some of these problems may be solved by working at home on a computer for part of the day.
   

The up side for employees is that they will have another day free to spend with their families. That may be the best thing this plan has going for it.