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Alternative
Work Schedules (AWS)
The term "alternative
work schedules" (AWS) encompasses two different work schedule
variations--flexible work schedules (FWS) and compressed work
schedules (CWS). Each of these represents a different kind of
adjustment to the traditional fixed schedule of 8 hours per day,
5 days per week, which begins and ends at the same time each day.
FWS and CWS
are established on an agency-by-agency basis. Subject to the obligation
to negotiate with representatives of exclusive bargaining units,
the decision to establish an AWS program is at the discretion
of the head of the organization. An agency may determine the general
policy, guidelines, instructions, and procedures for the establishment
of AWS programs in its headquarters and field offices. The suspension
of statutory overtime, premium pay, and scheduling provisions
apply only to individual employees or organizational units participating
in an AWS program.
A.
Flexible Work Schedules
Flexible Work
Schedules have a work requirement of 80 hours within a pay period.
Each flexible schedule has a designated core time when employees
are expected to be at work or on approved leave. The core time
usually coincides with the busiest customer service times. Management
establishes the parameters of employee options. There are several
types of flexible schedules:
- Flexitour:
Agency establishes core time, employee preselects arrival and
departure times;
- Gliding
Schedule: Agency establishes core time, employee may vary arrival
and departure time daily;
- Maxiflex
Schedules: Agency establishes core time, employee determines
remainder of work requirement. Employee may accumulate credit
hours.
- Variable
Day Schedule: Agency establishes core time, employee may vary
length of workday daily, within a 40-hour workweek.
- Variable
Week Schedule: Agency establishes core time, employee may vary
length of workweek as well as workday.
B.
Compressed Work Schedules
Compressed
Work Schedules fulfill the basic work requirement of 80 hours
in less than 10 work days. Arrival and departure times and non-workdays
are fixed and established by management. However, there are no
provisions for flexitime or gliding schedules under CWS program,
and credit hours are not permissible. Management may offer one
or more options and allow employees to select one.
- 4-Day Workweek:
Employee works 4 10-hour days each workweek.
- 3-Day Workweek:
Employee works 3 days of 13 hours and 20 minutes each work week.
- 5-4/9 Plan:
Employee works 8 9-hour days and 1 8-hour day each pay period.
By law, a
compressed work schedule may not be mandated as the sole option
for tour of duty hours in a non-bargaining unit unless a majority
of employees in the organization vote to adopt a compressed schedule.
In organizations in which employees are represented by an exclusive
representative, but in which certain employees are excluded from
the unit, only those employees in the bargaining unit are bound
by the negotiations establishing the CWS program. Other employees
are entitled to vote for or against participation in CWS. Also,
any employee for whom a compressed work schedule would impose
a personal hardship is to be excluded from the program.
C.
AWS Case Histories
AWS Case
#1—Budget Analyst Working Compressed Schedule.
The employee is a budget analyst, GS-12, and has worked for the
agency for 12 years. He commutes 100 miles daily. In 1991, the
employee opted to use an alternative work schedule. He works 4
10-hour days per week, flexing every Friday. The employee stated,
"This schedule has been very convenient for me." His supervisor
indicated, "The employee's productivity increased and his leave
usage decreased. Both the organization and the employee benefitted
from his 4-day schedule."
AWS Case
#2—Management Analyst Working Flextime.
The employee is a management analyst, GS-12, in an administrative
services division and has worked for the agency for 10 years.
He works a flextime schedule in order to be home by mid-afternoon
to care for his teenaged son and daughter after school. In 1992
the employee's wife, who is in the U.S. Army, was stationed abroad
for a year. Flextime allowed the employee to assume full responsibility
for his children during her absence. Specifically, the employee
was able to maintain a rigorous schedule of doctors' appointments
for his disabled son and to help care for his mother who, during
a visit with his family, fell and broke her hip. Flextime has
also allowed the employee to maintain positive leave balances
and still care for his family's needs.
The employee's
supervisor stated, "Having staff with flexible schedules has required
me to become more adaptable in scheduling meetings and setting
interim deadlines. However, the capacity to get work done has
not been diminished. In addition, the entire staff works harder
and is more responsible because they have more flexibility."
D.
AWS Questions and Answers
What are
the benefits of AWS?
There are
many benefits for USDA. Under all of the schedules, employees
are available in the office over a greater range of hours. This
is particularly valuable for organizations that must deal regularly
with nationwide operations. Leave conservation, as discussed above,
is a benefit to the employer as well as the employee. Also, the
perceived benefits to employees and the resulting improved morale
can make availability of AWS a useful recruitment and retention
tool.
Additionally,
managers retain the flexibility to approve an AWS for one employee
or a group of employees based on the work needs of the office
and the demonstrated performance and reliability of the individuals
involved. Like other work options, AWS is not an employee entitlement
and a number of factors can be considered when weighing the benefits
of AWS.
There are
many benefits for employees, too. They gain the advantage of adjusting
their hours of work to meet individual needs. They can conform
their schedules to meet day care needs, to join car pools, to
commute with a spouse, or simply to take care of personal business.
The particular benefits vary depending on the schedule.
Under flextime,
for example, employees can vary their work schedules by changing
their arrival and subsequent departure time without notice to
their supervisor, as long as they are at work during the office's
fixed core hours. Employees gain the advantage of no fixed arrival
time and can adjust their schedules for unexpected events such
as weather, child care, transportation, or other problems.
A 5-4/9 compressed
schedule presents different advantages. Having an additional non-work
day every 2 weeks enables the individual to take care of a myriad
of errands and personal business without requiring the use of
leave. It also can be used to provide parents with additional
time to spend with their children, which could reduce child care
expenses. Judicious use of the 5-4/9 schedule can also lead to
reduced leave usage, both annual and sick. Sick leave is conserved
because employees are able to schedule routine medical and dental
appointments on their day off, thereby reserving sick leave for
use if they are actually incapacitated.
What are
the potential concerns of alternative work schedules for the organization?
The major
concern of AWS may be ensuring adequate coverage in an organization.
While the extended hours of service will help provide service
over a longer day, the depth of coverage may be reduced. Having
employees absent 1 day per pay period under 5-4/9 can make scheduling
meetings difficult or result in the supervisor having only a skeleton
staff. Also, there may be periods when the supervisor is not present.
However, these concerns may be addressed by appropriate scheduling
and managerial control. Further, the supervisor's absence may
provide an excellent opportunity for staff to gain experience
as acting supervisor.
Are controls
available to minimize the concerns?
Yes. The general
guiding principle is that while supervisors will approve employee
scheduling requests to the extent possible, they retain the right
to limit the degree of personal choice available when necessary
to meet the office's operating needs. However, it is incumbent
upon supervisors to exercise good management practices and good
planning in office scheduling.
Are these
alternative work schedules available to employees who are in a
bargaining unit?
Supervisors
should check with their organization's labor relations staff for
guidance on obligations to an exclusive union representative.
Different bargaining units within USDA will likely have negotiated
different AWS requirements. In those organizations where unit
employees are not already participating in AWS, supervisors may
have to fulfill a bargaining obligation. A labor relations specialist
should be contacted before discussions in this area are initiated
with employees.
May the
supervisor change an employee's work schedule?
Yes. Supervisors
may suspend or terminate employees' participation in AWS to meet
agency needs. Before initiating such action for bargaining unit
employees, however, supervisors should check with their organization's
labor relations staff for guidance. Some examples that might compel
a supervisor to take such action are: special projects requiring
a "team" to work on the same schedule, travel, training, and long-term
leave of an employee. If supervisors need to take such action,
the employee should be given as much advance notice as possible.
Is an employee
guaranteed approval for a flexible work schedule?
No. The supervisor
must be able to manage workload requirements and provide for sufficient
office coverage during the component's official hours before granting
a flexible work schedule request.
Can flexible
work schedules be changed?
Yes. Depending
on the needs of the employee and the organization, schedules may
be changed at any time. It is incumbent upon the supervisor, however,
to manage workload requirements and provide for sufficient office
coverage. If an employee knows in advance that he/she will have
a need to report a bit later or leave a bit earlier on a particular
day, he/she may request to modify the arrival time for that particular
day (or other period of time). Such requests should be treated
in the same manner as a request for leave.
What are
the features of a 5-4/9 compressed schedule?
Under the
5-4/9 schedule, an employee completes his/her 80-hour biweekly
work requirement in 9 work days, rather than 10 work days (e.g.,
by working 8 9-hour days and 1 8-hour work day in addition to
time for lunch). During 1 day of the pay period, the employee
does not need to report to work. Also, they will be able to request
an individual starting time.
Who determines
an employee's non-work day?
An employee
may request any day as the non-work day subject to the supervisor's
approval. The supervisor will review all requests to see whether
they all can be accommodated or whether changes must be made.
For example, if too many employees want the same day off to permit
adequate coverage, changes will be necessary.
How is
leave charged?
An employee
may request and use leave as usual. Leave is charged based upon
the number of hours of leave used, as judged by the employee's
schedule. If an employee uses a whole day of leave on a day that
is regularly scheduled as a 9-hour day, then the employee is charged
9 hours of leave. If the employee uses a whole day of leave on
an 8-hour day, only 8 hours of leave are charged.
What is
done when an employee travels or attends training?
Most periods
of travel or training are of short duration and can be accommodated
without changing the compressed schedule. If the travel or training
will conflict with the employee's scheduled non-work day, the
employee's schedule can be altered to change the non-work day
for that pay period. If the travel or training will be 5 days
per week for an extended period of time, the employee may have
to return to an 8 hour day schedule for the duration of the travel
or training.
What if
an employee on 5-4/9 is promoted, reassigned, or detailed?
An employee
who is working a 5-4/9 schedule and who is promoted, reassigned,
or detailed out of the participating office should discuss scheduling
with his/her new supervisor. In addition, if the employee remains
within the same office under which he/she participated in 5-4/9
(or any other AWS), he/she should discuss the impact of participation
on the work requirements of the new assignment.
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