As you may be aware, September brought about new office hours at CHELCO. After several years of discussion, research, and an employee poll, I recommended, and our Board of Trustees approved a “9/80” work schedule. This schedule, already in place at some other cooperatives and businesses, allows employees to work 80 hours over nine days in a two-week period, giving them every other Friday off.

This change brings several benefits. First, our office hours Monday through Thursday have been extended by 30 minutes, now closing at 4:30 p.m. instead of 4:00 p.m. That extra time in the afternoon offers added convenience for members who need to stop by after work. On the Fridays we are open, our hours remain 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., a schedule that will feel familiar to members.

In addition, employees will now enjoy an extra day off every other Friday. This benefit provides more time for family, rest, and recharging—helping employees bring fresh energy to serving you, our members, with excellence.

Here to Serve
While this is a positive change for our team, our members’ needs remain our top priority. Most importantly, this new schedule does not affect the services you depend on most. CHELCO will continue to provide 24/7 outage monitoring and response, with crews ready to restore power quickly and safely whenever the need arises.

We believe this new approach represents the best of both worlds: supporting our employees while keeping members’ needs at the center of everything we do.

A Trial Period
This schedule is being introduced as a trial period. We are optimistic it will be a positive step for both employees and members, but if it does not meet our cooperative’s needs, we will return to a traditional five-day, 40-hour work week. Our focus is, and always will be, on serving our members, and any future adjustments will reflect that commitment.

Other Ways to Pay                                         
Even with our new schedule, there are many convenient options to manage your account. The online member portal and MyCHELCO app offer many account management features at your fingertips, plus there are several other payment options available at CHELCO.com/ways-pay.

Thank You, Employees
I also want to recognize our employees for their dedication and hard work. CHELCO is one of the fastest-growing electric cooperatives in the country, and that growth brings added demands. Our employees consistently rise to meet those challenges, working harder to ensure our members continue receiving excellent service. We also appreciate the feedback employees provided as we considered the “9/80” work schedule. Their voices helped guide the decision.

Together—with engaged members, dedicated employees, and a clear focus on service—CHELCO is positioned for success today and well into the future.