Compensatory time and flexible time policies for academic staff

Preamble

In order to comply with the current AAUP-AFT contract, the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences is required to maintain an appropriate policy for granting compensatory time and flexible work schedules/arrangements.

It is recognized that at various times during the year, academic staff may be asked by either their chair/director (or designee) and/or sometimes by a member of the Dean's Office to work at times that are substantially outside the required CLAS work schedule (see below). Whenever this situation arises, a chair/director should give an employee as much advance notice as is reasonably possible via written email notification. In order to accommodate an employee's family needs, personal obligations and life responsibilities, without causing undue disruptions, it is the intent of this CLAS policy to limit as much as is feasibly possible any requirement(s) that an academic staff member work on a frequent/regular basis outside of the CLAS required work schedule.

It is also recognized that flexible work schedules can be mutually beneficial to both the University and the employee. In the case of an academic staff member requesting a flex-time arrangement, the department should take into consideration both the needs of the workplace as well as the employee's.

CLAS Compensatory Time Policy

Required workweek schedule/hours:

The required workweek schedule in CLAS for all academic staff is Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. through 5:00 p.m. on campus (no working from home) and includes 1.0 hour per day for lunch (an employee's lunch hour cannot be skipped in order to shorten the workday nor can it be used at the start or end of the workday.) To accommodate the needs of an employee's department/program/center/institute, compensatory time shall be granted for work substantially performed beyond the required CLAS workweek schedule.

Eligible classifications

Compensatory time shall be granted for work substantially being performed outside of the required workweek to all members of the academic staff represented by the AAUP-AFT in the College of Liberal Arts, including: academic advisors, academic services officers, extension program coordinators, university counselors, university counselor assistants, and academic staff (renewal contract). All classifications above shall have equal opportunity within their respective unit to earn compensatory time.

Conversion of compensatory time

Academic Staff will typically accrue regular compensatory time at the rate of one hour for one hour worked. However, exceptions will apply at the rate of time and a half (1.5 hours) when working during University closures, on weekends to meet departmental needs/demands, or for any workday in which the staff member works in excess of 7.5 hours. During special college/university events held during the weekdays i.e., commencements, etc., academic staff may choose either regular compensatory time (1.5 hours) or adjust that workday i.e., start their workday later and stay later, but nevertheless, they must still work a full 7.5 hour workday. During special college/university events held during the weekends i.e., student orientations, etc., academic staff will accrue compensatory time at the rate of double time (2.0 hours).

Compensatory time approval

Any represented academic staff in CLAS and their chair/director (or designee) shall agree upon any amount of compensatory time for working outside the required workweek schedule in advance via written email.

Maximum allowable compensatory bank

Compensatory bank for all represented academic staff in CLAS is limited to a maximum of 60 hours at any given time.

Recording the utilization of compensatory time banks

All represented academic staff in CLAS shall use compensatory time in increments of at least 3.5 hours and up to a full workday i.e., 7.5 hours. However, chairs/directors may allow at certain times for staff to use their compensatory time in increments of less than 3.5 hours but in no situation should it be less than 1.0 hour. Exceptions for utilizing compensatory time in increments of less than 3.5 hours should be very infrequent and in no situation should academic staff utilize their compensatory bank as a "tardy bank."

Requests to utilize compensatory time bank

All represented academic staff in CLAS requesting to use their compensatory time are required to submit their request in writing via an email to their supervisor at least 3 working days in advance. In rare situations, a chair/director may approve a request to utilize compensatory time or vacation time up to the day prior but he/she needs to take into consideration the operational needs of the program/department. When staff are requesting a short-notice time off request, they should first make a verbal request and if approved, they need to still follow it up with an email affirmation so that there is written verifiable documentation of the request. It is the responsibility of both the chair/director and the employee to keep his/her email exchanges pertaining to compensatory time approved or taken. The recording of all compensatory time accrued and compensatory time taken must be done in the university's electronic web time entry (WTE) i.e. Electronic Timesheet during the period the comp time is accrued or taken.

Grievances

Grievances regarding the compensatory time policy shall follow the grievance procedure as stated in the WSU/AAUP-AFT collective bargaining agreement.

Flexible Work Schedule Policy

Time parameters

All represented academic staff in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences who desire a work schedule that is outside of the required CLAS workweek schedule may request a flexible work schedule for up to 6 months at a time. The chair/director of the unit shall consult with the associate dean for academic personnel (currently Ratna Naik) in CLAS pertaining to any requests. Regardless, the associate dean for academic personnel in CLAS has sole and final authority to approve, deny or modify any requests.

Procedure

1. Academic Staff shall submit a formal written request via an email to their chair/director and the associate dean for academic personnel in CLAS at least 30 days prior to beginning any flex-time arrangement. The request should list the reasons for the request, the proposed working hours, the duration, and the acknowledgment that flex-time arrangements cannot exceed the agreed-upon length without submitting a formal written extension (see Renewal/Extension below). It should be understood that flex-time arrangements are not to be confused with or considered interchangeably with an alternate work schedule (e.g. work only Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 6:00 a.m. 4:23 p.m. with Fridays off) which is not allowable. In addition, the flex-time request should account for 1.0 hour lunch periods per day since they cannot be skipped in order to shorten the workday.

2. Within 10 working days of the chair/director receiving the formal written request via an email, he/she shall meet with the academic staff member to discuss the request.

3. Within 5 working days of the meeting, the chair/director shall consult with the Associate Dean for Academic Personnel as to whether the request will be approved, denied or needs modifications in order for it to be approved. Regardless, the Associate Dean for Academic Personnel has the sole and final authority to approve, deny or modify the request.

4. Within 5 working days of the chair/director meeting with the associate dean for academic personnel, the chair/director and the associate dean for academic personnel shall approve or deny the request in writing via an email. If denied, the notification must include the job- related reasons.

Renewal

All represented academic staff in CLAS may request a renewal/extension of the flexible work schedule for up to six months by submitting a formal request in writing via an email to their chair/director and associate dean for academic personnel at least 30 days prior to the expiration date of their currently approved flex-time schedule. All requests must be either approved or denied within 15 days of receipt by both the chair/director and associate dean for academic personnel.

Grievances

Grievances regarding the flexible work schedule policy shall follow the grievance procedure as stated in the WSU/AAUP-AFT collective bargaining agreement.