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2.8 Work Schedules, Hours, Uniforms

Revised May 16, 2010

Staff covered by this policy
This policy applies to Service Maintenance employees at South Bend.

A. Workweek and work schedules

1. The workweek for all campuses and departments begins and ends at 12:00 midnight on Saturday.
2. The basic full-time work schedule normally consists of 40 hours in each workweek. Schedules different than 40 hours per week are to be approved by the campus human resources office with written notification to Payroll.
3. Employees should not be scheduled to work on a regular basis on more than six days of the week. Administrative office hours are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, with one hour off for lunch each day, unless a different schedule is necessary for proper functioning of the department.  Schedules different from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, should be documented and retained with related departmental payroll records.
4. With supervisory approval, an employee may access the University's electronic systems during work hours (including but not limited to paid breaks) in order to conduct University-related business and to access the employee's pay stub each pay period using computer equipment designated by their department management.  The University will provide reasonable access to and appropriate training on the use of these electronic systems before requiring their use to conduct University business.  Employee's shall suffer no loss of pay, benefits, or discipline for problems created by verifiable malfunctions in the University's electronic systems without just cause.

B. Changes in work schedules

If a change in an appointed employee's work schedule is made requiring work on a day originally scheduled off, such work is compensated at time and one-half unless the notice of the work schedule change is made to the employee at least five calendar days in advance of the scheduled day off.

C. Rest periods

1. Efforts will be made to permit employees to take rest periods.
2. Reasonable breaks would normally be 15 minutes during each half day of work including overtime periods and should be scheduled so that the efficiency of the work unit does not suffer. This can be accomplished by staggering the times for rest periods so that all employees in the department or within the work group are not taking a break at the same time.
   1. For employees required to work in adverse conditions, i.e., extreme heat or cold or noxious fumes, it may be advisable to schedule additional break periods. Such a decision is a matter within the discretion of the supervisor on the scene.
3. Time allowed for rest periods is not accumulative and is not intended to cover late arrival or early departure.
4. Employees should not be required to work more than six consecutive hours without a minimum of a one-half hour lunch period free from the job.

D. Uniforms

1. Employees required to wear uniforms, but who are not permitted to wear uniforms to and from work, are allowed ten minutes in the scheduled work period for changing into and out of uniforms.
2. Employees shall have their uniforms replaced in accordance with the following schedule.
1. Five (5) uniform replacement sets at two (2) year intervals.
2. One (1) coat at four (4) year intervals.
3. Safety and Security employees are responsible for the return of uniforms upon termination or when otherwise no longer needed.  Other employees are not required to return their uniforms.
4. Bulletproof vests will be provided to security and police officers that desire to wear them.
5. Short pants are an acceptable part of the Facilities Management uniform except where safety concerns exist, such as with the handling of chemicals.
6. Blue or black denim long pants are acceptable for wear by Service-Maintenance staff except Safety & Security provided they do not have holes, tears, patches, or external appliqué’s.  The university will not provide for laundry or replacement of these pants purchased by the employee.
7. Safety footwear- The University will determine the need for safety footwear based on position. If the University determines that safety footwear is necessary for a particular position, the employee will be reimbursed up to $100 for the cost of such safety footwear, no more frequently than every other year; provided however, that replacement safety footwear will only be reimbursed if the original footwear was damaged or worn out in the line of work for the University (such that the footwear is no longer able to provide the designed level of safety).  The employee will purchase the footwear and present the footwear and the receipt for them to the Director of Facilities Management (or designee) for reimbursement.  New staff employees will be required to purchase the footwear appropriate for their job assignment.  The new employee shall be reimbursed the $100 upon successful completion of the New Employee Evaluation Period.

E. Personnel Protective Equipment

Any protective items such as goggles, face shields, gloves, etc. shall be provided by the University for the employee.

F. Shift preference

1. Shift preference, for job openings (as described in Personnel Policy 2.5 Advertising Job Openings) having identical duties and responsibilities, is given in order of occupational unit seniority. This is not applicable in units where the practice is to rotate shift assignments on some regularized basis.
2. Once shift preference has been exercised for a given job vacancy, the employee must wait until another job vacancy occurs to again exercise his or her shift preference based on his or her occupational unit seniority.

G. Flex Time

1. Indiana University encourages operating units to accommodate the childcare, family care, and other personal needs of employees to the extent possible and consistent with the requirements of the operating unit.
2. Flex time refers to a change in a work schedule for a single event or series of events that may span several months, but is not a permanent change of a work schedule.
3. The decision to grant a request for flex time is the sole discretion of the university.  It is not required that flex time be uniformly available to all positions in a department or operating unit.  Not every function is conducive to flex time because of the requirements of operating units.  This should not deter supervisors from approving a flex time request for positions where such scheduling can be accommodated. 
4. Flex time does not alter the responsibility and authority of department heads to establish and change work schedules as described in Personnel Policy 2.8 (Work Schedules, Hours, Uniforms) and Policy 2.14 (Overtime).  An operating unit that has granted a flex time request may discontinue or alter the arrangement if work needs change or if service is impaired.
5. Flex time is a special arrangement and a privilege and is not subject to the grievance procedure.
6. When an employee desires a change in work schedule, the employee will submit the request in writing to the Department Head, or designee, at least 24 hours in advance of the event or beginning of the series of events for which the request is made.
7. Conditions for granting a flex time request include:
   1. The requested flex time must not interfere with the efficient operation of the university nor adversely affect the services that are provided to students, other operating units, or the public.
   2. The quantity, quality, and timeliness of employee work must be maintained.
   3. Adequate supervision and employee accountability must be maintained.
   4. Flex time must not cause or contribute to the need for additional staff or overtime work.
   5. Rest periods are a normal part of the paid work schedule.  Time allowed for rest periods is not cumulative, and therefore cannot be incorporated into a flex time request.

H. Travel Time for Service Maintenance staff when on duty away from campus of normal work assignment

1. When a Service Maintenance staff member is required by his/her department to perform a work assignment, attend class, etc., at a location away from the campus of his/her normal work assignment, the following policy should be adhered to in determining the employees eligibility for pay:
   1. Travel time in excess of the time required to travel from the employee's residence to his/her normal work station, provided it is outside of the normal daily work schedule, should be considered as hours worked. Any break in such travel time for meals is not compensable and should be subtracted out of the hours worked. If such travel should require overnight lodging, the time that the employee is free to "come and go" as he/she pleases is not considered as time worked.

I. Call Back

A staff member who is called back to work in the regular position outside the scheduled workday, necessitating an additional trip to and from work outside the normal workday, is compensated for a minimum of two hours at time and one-half.

J. Stand-by compensation

Employees who are required to be on stand-by outside of their regular scheduled work hours for seven or more consecutive days shall receive 5.4 hours of pay at their regular rate for each full seven consecutive day stand-by assignment period. When a week requires more than 88 hours of stand-by assignment, the number of hours of stand-by compensation will be determined by dividing the number of hours of stand-by assignment by 16.3 and rounding to the nearest tenth of an hour. This is in addition to any compensation that the employee is otherwise eligible for under the Call-Back policy.  There will be one on-call list maintained and employees in the SMOQ mechanical maintenance rank and above will serve in the on-call rotation.  The on-call employee is responsible for personally filling a minimum of 3 of the weeks  assigned and  either personally working or finding a qualified substitute in advance for any on-call rotations in excess of 3 in a calendar year.  The Assistant Director of Facilities Management may allow exceptions to the requirement that employees personally fill their assignments in the event of emergencies or vacations.  Where allowed by this policy or with Management approval, the supervisor shall be notified in the event of a substitute as soon as possible.

K. Shift Premium

1. The shift premium will be paid according to the following schedule:
   1. For regularly scheduled shifts that begin between 11:30 a.m. and 7:59 p.m., $0.36 per hour worked.
   2. For regularly scheduled shifts that begin between 8:00 p.m. and 3:59 a.m., $0.46 per hour worked.
2. Any work schedule that includes both Saturday and Sunday as regularly scheduled workdays, a 50-cent per hour premium will be paid for all hours worked in the work schedule.
3. An employee who is regularly scheduled and works a full day on either Saturday or Sunday will be paid the 50-cent per hour premium for those hours.