Work Schedule Guidelines

These guidelines have been provided to assist supervisors and employees in determining work schedules at the University Libraries. 

In many departments, providing University Libraries' services requires expanded hours of operation while other departments maintain the standard 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. office schedule.  In either situation it is expected that an employee's schedule  be fairly consistent from one work week to the next. 

Flexible schedules, those outside the norm for the department, are supported in the University Libraries and are permitted on request at the discretion of the supervisor.  Flexible schedules are generally approved for a legitimate reason for a specific period of time. Approval of an employee's request for a flexible schedule should not compromise the ability of the department to meet its objectives. 

Scheduling takes many factors into consideration, a few of which are: 

• hours the department is open and is staffed 
• times of accessibility of equipment or materials on which the employee's work depends 
• hours with which other departments the employee must maintain contact are open
• and the preferences of the employee

Standard Work Week

All employees normally maintain a 40 hour work week.  For non-administrative, non-exempt classified employees (i.e., those paid bi-weekly) this work week is strictly adhered to in compliance with the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) .  These employees must maintain a 40 hour work week calculated from 12:01 a.m. Thursday through 12:00 midnight on Wednesday.  Hours worked are reported on time sheets provided for this purpose.

Libraries' faculty (i.e. contract faculty) and administrative, exempt classified staff (i.e., monthly paid staff) also normally maintain a 40 hour work week.  Adjustments for time worked over 40 hours per week for the purpose of accomplishing work-related responsibilities (e.g. primary position responsibilities, special projects, committee assignments, or due to staff shortages, etc.) will be agreed upon by the individuals involved based on individual and departmental needs.

Meal Periods

Meal periods are normally scheduled for no less than thirty minutes.  The time and duration of a meal period is determined at the time the employee's work schedule is set.  A meal period is not considered part of paid work time and is not included in reporting the number of hours worked. 

The Libraries' policy prescribes that there be a meal period of at least thirty minutes if an employee is scheduled to work for more than six consecutive work hours. 

Breaks

An employee is normally allowed one fifteen minute break if scheduled for three consecutive work hours.  Breaks are not mandatory under FLSA. Break time is part of the regular paid work time. Therefore, it may not be used to make up lost time, to accumulate time in order to take more than a fifteen minute break, to extend a meal period, or to apply toward beginning work late or leaving work early. Depending upon the needs of the department, the time at which an employee takes the fifteen minute break may either be scheduled by the supervisor or left to the discretion of the employee. 

Attendance at Committee Meetings

Participation in Libraries' committees, University committees, and other similarly approved activities is encouraged and can be considered scheduled work time. This participation must be mutually acceptable to employee and supervisor. 

Attendance at Training and Development Programs

Participation in training provided by the Libraries , Employee Training & Development , and other training or learning activities is encouraged and can be considered scheduled work time. Attendance must be mutually acceptable to employee and supervisor. 

Attendance at Professional Conferences

Attendance at  professional meetings, conferences and workshops (such as ALA, SLA, SAA, AMIA, etc.) during normally scheduled work time is considered work time. Attendance outside of normally scheduled work time (such as travel time outside  scheduled work hours, evenings or weekends) is considered personal time.

Attendance at Library-Sponsored and University-Sponsored Academic Events

Library-Sponsored Events (excluding training):

• Employees are encouraged to attend library-sponsored events.  Support of these events promotes job satisfaction, increases the sense of community among employees and encourages potential donors and others to look at the Libraries in a positive light.

• Employees may attend library-sponsored events during their normal work hours without taking annual leave or making up hours. Attendance must be mutually acceptable to employee and supervisor.

• If all members of a unit wish to attend the same event, then priority will be at the supervisor's discretion.

University-Sponsored Academic Events (excluding training):

• Employees may attend up to 5 university-sponsored academic events per semester (Fall, Spring and Summer), taking place during their normal work hours, without taking annual leave or making up hours. Attendance must be mutually acceptable to employee and supervisor.

• If all members of a unit wish to attend the same event, then priority will be at the supervisor's discretion.

Overtime

If a non-administrative, non-exempt employee (i.e., bi-weekly) is required to work more than the scheduled hours during a day s/he must be allowed time off during the same work week at a time mutually agreeable to employee and supervisor in order to restrict the total hours worked during that week to 40. 

When a supervisor, because of an emergency situation, requires an employee to work extra hours on the last day of the work week, and thus exceed 40 hours for that work week, the employee will be eligible to receive overtime payment at one and one half times his/her standard rate for all work beyond forty hours, or granted compensatory time off at a rate of one and one half times the number of hours worked in excess of 40 hours.  An example of such a situation may occur when a public service area must be staffed and an exempt employee is not available. 

Supervisors may not require, nor permit, a non-exempt employee to work more than 40 hours during one work week and then report the time during another work week. 

Administrative, exempt employees (i.e., monthly staff) and  Libraries' faculty are not eligible for overtime pay.  Adjustments
for time worked over 40 hours per week for the purpose of accomplishing work-related responsibilities, such as staffing a public service desk on a university holiday, will be negotiated by the individual and their respective supervisor.

For additional information regarding these policies, please visit the ask uga site.

SOURCE: Approved by Management Council, July 23, 1980; Revised July 1991; April 1996; April 1998; July 2000; DHG, December, 2000; April 2002.