SPP 306: Work Schedules

To define university business hours and a standard work week, and to allow flexibility in work schedules as appropriate

University policy

Regular classified, service professional, and administrative employees

The university’s varied activities do not permit a uniform work schedule for all departments. Deans and directors are responsible for establishing work schedules that meet the service and work needs of their respective areas.

University business hours are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, except for university holidays.

The standard work week for nonexempt employees is 40 hours and begins at 12:01 a.m. Monday and ends at 12:00 midnight Sunday.

Alternative Work Schedules

Supervisors may require that nonexempt employees work alternative work schedules to provide necessary support services to the university community, to expedite a unit’s work flow, or to accommodate an individual employee’s needs. Guidelines on alternative work schedules and time reporting for nonexempt employees are found in the HR Advisor.

To make discretionary decisions requiring employees to work alternative work schedules, the supervisor must:

1. obtain approval from the appropriate dean, director, or designee

   and

2. ensure that the department is appropriately staffed during university business hours.

Examples

Examples of alternative and flexible work schedules include, but are not limited to:

1. flexible work schedules (flextime) to accommodate employees when possible
2. working on weekends
3. working during second or third shifts during specific hours determined within the unit

   and

4. working shifts with shortened lunch periods.

Changing an Employee’s Work Schedule

A supervisor may change an employee’s work schedule for periods of 30 days or more with a minimum of two weeks’ notice. A temporary change in work schedule of less than 30 days may be made with 24 hours’ notice. In an emergency, a supervisor may require that an employee change his or her work schedule without notice.

Supervisors may allow flexibility in work arrangements to support an individual employee’s desire to maintain a balance between job and family. Alternate work arrangements are not intended to result in a need for additional employees or overtime.

The supervisor will follow the same discretionary decision steps as applied in the “Alternative Work Schedules” when a request is received from an employee.

Examples

Examples of alternate work arrangements include, but are not limited to:

1. job sharing—two individuals negotiate an arrangement in which they continue to meet the duties and responsibilities of the position that would otherwise be met by one person
2. flexplace—an employee enters into a mutual agreement with the supervisor where the greater majority of hours worked are on-site with some component(s) of the job done at home

   and

3. telecommuting—an employee maintains the duties and responsibilities of his/her position from the home environment with help from communication technology.

Examples of alternate work arrangements may also include but are not limited to:

1. continuing part-time
2. seasonal
3. partial retirement

   and

4. Flexible Employment Program (see SPP 214, “Flexible Employment Program”).

Alternate work arrangements shall not adversely affect the services that are provided to students, other departments, or the public. The supervisor is responsible for ensuring that the employee’s job performance is not negatively affected.

Although departments are encouraged to make reasonable efforts to meet the employee’s needs, an alternate work arrangement is a privilege. It is granted only when the change will not interfere with the efficient operation of the university and the employee’s performance will not deteriorate. A department may discontinue, temporarily suspend, or alter the arrangement when the work needs change or if services are impaired. It is the university’s exclusive decision to provide alternate work arrangements. This decision is not subject to the grievance procedure.

Employees are entitled to an unpaid meal break of at least 30 minutes each work day. Nonexempt employees must be completely relieved of work duties during the meal period for a meal break to be noncompensable.

A nonexempt classified employee may take a paid rest period not to exceed 15 minutes for each four-hour work period.

Employees may not, unless specifically authorized by the supervisor, use rest periods to:

1. cover late arrivals or early departures from the work station
2. extend the lunch period

   or

3. accumulate leave time from one day to the next.

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