HRDG 4610 - Tours of Duty - Section K - Subsection D

EXAMPLE OF FLEXITOUR SCHEDULE

Note: This is a sample only; the customer service band and flexible times may vary for field locations depending on the work requirements of the organization. The flexible periods may not begin before 6 a.m. nor end later than 6 p.m. for headquarters employees.

The basic work requirement for a full-time employee is 8 hours per day and 40 hours per week.

The basic workweek for a part-time employee is the number of hours specified on the personnel action.

Flexible schedules may not be used by employees who perform overtime work under 7 U.S.C 2260 (Import-Export Act) (exception: VS 24-Hour Maxiflex Tour).

Flexitour may not be appropriate in other locations where employees are required to be present at specific hours of the workday.

Employees under flexitour select their work schedules by submitting a written request prior to the beginning of the pay period.

A tour must consist of 8 hours plus a 30-, 45-, or 60-minute unpaid meal period for full-time employees.

The scheduled workday must begin and end at the same time each day, unless the employee has been granted a core time deviation or a temporary (one day) change to the tour of duty.

Headquarters flexitours may begin as early as 6 a.m. but must end no later than 6 p.m. Supervisors may further restrict hours of duty. Field locations may set starting/stopping times based on local conditions or adopt 6 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Each employee's workday will end between the beginning and end of the afternoon flexible period, depending on the employee's starting time and the length of the meal period.

Example: An employee, working a flexible 8 hour day, who begins at 7:30 a.m. with a 30 minute meal period, will finish his/her workday at 4 p.m.

Example: An employee who begins at 7:30 a.m. with a 45 minute meal period will finish his/her workday at 4:15 p.m.

An employee is allowed 5, 10, or 15 minutes (maximum allowed is 15 minutes) flexibility on either side of the selected arrival time.

Exception: Employees who begin work at 6 a.m. may flex after 6 a.m., but not before; conversely employees who begin work at the end of the morning flexible period may flex before the preset starting time, but not after.

Example: An employee selects a schedule of 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. The employee is permitted a l5-minute variation on either side of 8 a.m. If an employee begins as early as 7:45 a.m., that becomes the employee's starting time for that day and that quarter hour counts toward the completion of the 8-hour day. The employee would complete the workday at 4:15 p.m. Conversely, an employee arriving at 8:10 a.m., begins the day at that time, is not considered tardy, and completes the workday at 4:40 p.m. However, the basic schedule is 8 a.m. and under normal circumstances the employee would usually adhere to that schedule.

Employees may request a permanent change in their tour of duty before the beginning of any pay period. The change will be effective at the beginning of the next or a subsequent pay period if approved by the supervisor.

Employees must submit a written request to the supervisor for any change in the tour of duty. Tours of duty may be changed on an emergency basis or temporary basis provided the employee requests the supervisor's approval for the deviation at least 1 day in advance. Temporary changes apply only to the flexible band; absences during the core time must be approved under the provisions of core time deviation or charged to the appropriate leave category. Approvals should be filed with the employee's T&A report.

The purpose of core time is to ensure that during a certain number of hours of each day all employees within a designated group will be present on the job; however, in some circumstances, supervisors may approve the use of a core time deviation (CTD). CTD is an absence specifically authorized by the supervisor during the core time that may be made up within the same day during flexible time in lieu of a charge to any type of leave.

Example: An employee's work hours are from 7 a.m. until 3:30 p.m. with a ½-hour meal period. The employee reports to work as usual and works from 7 a.m. to 10 a.m., when he/she leaves for a dental appointment. He/she returns at 12 noon and takes a ½-hour meal period. He/she completes the workday at 5:30 p.m. and is not required to take leave for the 2-hour break from 10 a.m. until 12 noon since he/she was still able to account for an 8-hour day with a ½-hour meal period.

Nothing under this provision is to be construed to prevent employees from taking accrued annual and sick leave as appropriate. Rather, it provides an alternative for employees when circumstances make the granting of a CTD mutually beneficial for the employee and the organization.

CTD is to be used only at the specific request of the employee;

however, the granting of a CTD is at the discretion of the supervisor. It should be justified by circumstances that make the granting of a CTD mutually beneficial for both the organization and the employee.

Supervisors must sign a written request for any CTDs approved at the request of the employee. For example: An SF-7l, Application for Leave, may be used to document these requests by checking the “Other” block in number 4 and writing in “CTD”. The day and hours covered by the CTD should be indicated in the Blocks that follow. The form should then be filed with the T&A report.

Alternately, the CTD may be documented on the flexible logsheet and initialed by the supervisor on the logsheet, or may also be documented by means of electronic mail, written memorandum, etc.

The minimum charge for CTDs is 15 minutes. CTDs may be used only in multiples of 15 minutes.

Example: CTDs may be for periods of 1 hour, 1 hour and 15 minutes, etc.

The following highlights the main features and flexibilities of the “flexitour” schedule:

• Hours worked per day: 8 (Employee selects start/stop time and adheres to it daily unless glides)
• Hours worked per week: 40.
• Core Time Deviations: Permitted.
• Arrival Time Flexing: Gliding is permitted in 5, 10, or 15 minute increments (maximum allowed is 15 minutes) on either side of arrival time.
• Earning/using credit hours: Not permitted.