40.053:  Flextime and Flexplace Scheduling

Status:	Approved on October 28, 2002	Signatures and dates on archival copy
Effective:	October 1, 2002
Initiated by:	James E. Kemper Assistant Vice President for Administration for Human Resources
Reviewed by:	Nancy Prichard Crist, Chair Policy and Procedure Review Committee
Endorsed by:	Gary North Vice President for Administration
Approved by:	Stephen Kopp Provost

Purpose

Ohio University endeavors to foster a work environment that maximizes productivity and morale. The purpose of this policy is to allow an Ohio University Classified Civil Service employee to be given fair consideration in modifying their work schedule and work site. This modification is to accommodate a temporary need of the employee.

Policy

Ohio University's flextime and flexplace work schedule allows classified civil service employees, who are not covered by a collective bargaining agreement, latitude in scheduling their work hours and worksite within specified limits. These limits, as well as the implementation of this policy, continuance of the flextime and flexplace arrangement, discontinuance, or modification of the flextime and flexplace arrangement is at the discretion of the individual planning unit head (see list, in the Procedures section, sub-section II, below). Upon approval of a flextime or flexplace arrangement by the planning unit head, the Assistant Vice President for Human Resources will review it to assure consistency and fairness throughout the University.

Procedures

Employees in each planning unit can access consideration for use of this policy for accessing by submitting their written request to their immediate supervisor and allowing the flextime supervisor to work with their appropriate department head, director, and eventually with the planning unit head. The written request must contain the rationale for requesting flextime. This written request must be sent through the channel of command to the appropriate planning unit head. If a flextime arrangement is approved by the appropriate supervisor, department head, director, and the planning unit head, the planning unit head will forward the information to University Human Resources. The planning unit head and the employee will then receive a written response by University Human Resources with a copy to appropriate planning unit staff. This written response will include the rationale for allowing, or not allowing, the request. For purposes of this policy, it should be noted that standard work hours at the University are 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

When making a decision about flextime implementation, the planning unit head must first consider the needs of the department. These needs are to include adequate staff coverage sufficient to meet the operating requirements of the department and user departments. Not every request for flextime scheduling will be possible. To assure consistency and fairness in implementation, the Assistant Vice President for Human Resources must review each flextime scheduling request that has been approved by the planning unit head. The Assistant Vice President for Human Resources will insure that flextime is administered consistently and equitably throughout the University at large. The Assistant Vice President for Human Resources will also insure that flextime schedules conform to appropriate federal, state, and local laws and University policy and needs. The Human Resources Department shall be available to offer advice and counseling concerning the department's implementation of this policy.

Employees in each planning unit can access consideration for use of this policy by submitting their written request to their immediate supervisor and allowing the supervisor to work with their appropriate department head, director, and eventually with the planning unit head. The positions most likely to be given favorable consideration are those that are very structured and where the output is more easily measured and predictable, e.g., budget or financial related, data entry, writer or editor, etc. The written request must contain the rationale for requesting flexplace. This written request must be sent through the chain of command to the appropriate planning unit head. Upon approval of the request by the supervisor, department head, director, and planning unit head, the planning unit head will forward the information to University Human Resources. The planning unit head and employee will then receive a written response by University Human Resources with a copy to appropriate planning unit staff. This written response will include the rationale for allowing, or not allowing, the request.

In an effort to accommodate an employee's personal needs, supervisors, department heads, directors, and planning unit heads are encouraged to allow the use of flexplace when it would help an employee better accommodate personal needs and where the arrangement would not adversely effect productivity of the employee's department or the ability of the department to provide personal services for its clients and customers. In some departments, work schedules and the need for team coordination may render flexplace impractical. When job responsibilities and opportunities for adequate supervision permit, working at home or other alternate locations may be incorporated within a flexplace arrangement. In all cases, flexplace schedules will be authorized only under extraordinary circumstances by the planning unit head, in consultation with the Director of University Human Resources.

Flexplace recommendations should be requested for a specific period of time (not to exceed 12 months) and should include defined standards of performance which assure that the work done off premises is equal to a regular on-site workload. Quality and quantity of work production should be evaluated periodically to assure proper functioning of the program. The Assistant Vice President for Human Resources shall insure that the policy is fairly and equitably implemented within the context of the entire University. The Human Resources Office shall be prepared to offer the requesting department assistance in drafting the individual arrangements and procedures.

I.  Cross Reference

Policy 40.048, "Summer and Winter Break Scheduling."

II.  Planning Unit Heads

   Planning Unit                   Title

Office of the President         President

Provost                         Provost

College of Arts & Sciences      Dean

College of Business             Dean

College of Communications       Dean

Education                       Dean

Russ College of Engineering     Dean

Fine Arts                       Dean

Research                        Vice President

Health and Human Services       Dean

Honors Tutorial College         Dean

International Studies           Associate Provost

University College              Dean

Libraries                       Dean

Information Technology          Associate Provost

Telecommunication Center        Director

Lifelong Leaning                Dean

Student Affairs                 Vice President for Student Affairs

Administration                  Vice President for Administration

Finance                         Vice President for Finance

University Advancement          Vice President for University 
                                  Advancement

College of Osteopathic Medicine Dean

Regional Higher Education       Vice President

Eastern Campus                  Dean

Chillicothe Campus              Dean

Southern Campus                 Dean

Lancaster Campus                Dean

Zanesville Campus               Dean

Residence & Dining Auxiliary    Director

Baker University Center         Director

Food Services                   Director

Intercollegiate Athletics       Director

Airport Auxiliary               Assistant Vice President for 
                                  Research for External Relations

Convocation Center Auxiliary    Vice President for Finance

Telephone Operations Auxiliary  Director of Communication Network 
                                  Services

Campus Recreation Auxiliary     Assistant Dean of Health & Human 
                                  Services for Recreation & Wellness

Reviewers

Proposed revisions of this policy should be reviewed by:

1. Policy and Procedure Review Committee

2. Classified Senate

3. Associate Provost for Budget and Planning

Forms

There are no forms that are specific to this policy.

Dick Piccard and Kristina Schnelle revised this file (http://www.ohiou.edu/policy/40-053.html) on November 4, 2002.

Please E-mail any comments or suggestions to "polproc@www.ohiou.edu".