Objective
The objective of the Alternate Work Schedule Plan is to offer alternate schedules to Department of Mental Health & Addiction Services A&R (P-5) employees, provided that those schedules are consistent with the Department’s commitment to customer service, its operational needs, organizational objectives and applicable collective bargaining agreements.  

The intent of this program is to maximize the utilization of resources so that the agency can carry out its mission while providing flexibility for its employees whenever possible.  Because of the varying nature of the work performed by each work unit or program within the Department, as well as differing bargaining units, it is understood that each employee will not necessarily have access to all the scheduling options.  Consequently, it may not be possible to grant every request nor will every work unit necessarily be able to offer the full range of schedule options. 

Menu Options
The menu of options for alternate work schedules is as follows:

• Monday through Friday eight (8) hours per day schedule with fixed starting and ending times.  Schedules must fall within the bandwidth of 7:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. and encompass the daily core hours of 9:30 a.m. through 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. through 3:30 p.m. An unpaid lunch break of at least one half-hour shall be scheduled during the middle of the shift between the hours of 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.  Authorized rest breaks cannot be saved to add onto the lunch period or to otherwise shorten the workday. 

• Monday through Friday eight (8) hours per day schedule with weekly variable starting and quitting times.  While these schedules may change week to week, all schedules must fall within the bandwidth of 7:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. and encompass the daily core hours of 9:30 a.m. through 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. through 3:30 p.m. An unpaid lunch break of at least one half-hour shall be scheduled during the middle of the shift between the hours of 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.  Authorized rest breaks cannot be saved to add onto the lunch period or to otherwise shorten the workday.  Employees selecting this option will be required to submit a request to their supervisor each time they wish to change their weekly schedule. 

• Monday through Friday schedule with unrestricted daily starting and quitting times around the established core hours (pure flextime). Schedules must fall within the bandwidth of 7:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m. and encompass the daily core hours of 9:30 a.m. through 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. through 3:30 p.m. An unpaid lunch break of at least one half-hour shall be scheduled during the middle of the shift between the hours of 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.  Authorized rest breaks cannot be saved to add onto the lunch period or to otherwise shorten the workday.  No schedule shall exceed 80 hours in a pay period. 

• 5/4 or 4/5 Biweekly Fixed Schedule with a fixed starting and ending time.  This option may not involve core hours.  You must work 80 hours in nine (9) days during the bi-weekly pay period.  For example, you may work 45 hours one week and 35 hours the other week.  Employees must work a minimum of 4 hours per day, excluding the meal period.  Time sheets should be coded under “Regular” hours indicating the exact number of hours worked per day.  Do not code any hours worked on an 80-hour bi-weekly alternative work schedule as “overtime”.  No employee shall exceed 10 hours per day unless approved in advance by the DMHAS Director of Labor Relations. 

Payroll Staff:  Must work at least 32 hours between payday Thursday and the following Tuesday.  (To be reviewed to assess impact of implementation of the CORE system.) 

Guidelines

• This menu of options is available to P-5 employees working forty hours per week. 

• The standard 40-hour workweek for A&R employees is from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on weekdays (Friday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday). 

• A Holiday will be 8 hours for a full-time employee. 

• Employees requesting an alternate work schedule (other than the 5/4 option) must account for 40 hours per workweek (Friday, Monday-Thursday) through actual time worked or through the use of accrued leave time. 

• This is a voluntary program.  Employees may elect to remain on a standard workweek.  If the program is discontinued, or an employee elects to opt out of the program, the employee will return to a standard workweek schedule. 

• Employees on an alternate work schedule must submit their schedule option to their supervisors on a quarterly basis.  Quarters will begin on the first day of the pay period in which July 1, October 1, January 1 and April 1 occurs.   Requests must also be approved by a Division Manager as well as the facility Director of Human Resources.  Management retains the decision to grant the option requested based on business needs. 

• An employee may revert back to the standard biweekly schedule by giving his/her supervisor at least two weeks’ notice.  

• Employees do not have the option of displacing other less senior employees who have been on an alternative work schedule with a prior effective date. 

• Requests for alternate work schedules will not be arbitrarily denied. 

• In accordance with Article 16A, Section 5, seniority (as defined in Article 12) will be used to resolve schedule conflicts between employees in the same work unit.  

• Disputes over alternate work schedules are subject to the provisions of Article 16A of the A&R contract. 

Revised 11/1/05       

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