Article 23: Hours of Work

Mary Orton & Stacey Hawkins | December 12, 2012,12:00 pm to 2:00 pm

AGENDA Overview of Article 23

Tackle Common Department Issues (Scenarios)

Discussion – Questions/Issues

OVERVIEW OF ARTICLE 23

Hours of Work

• 7 hours/day, 35 hours/week• 1 hour unpaid lunch period

Overtime

• applicable in excess of 7 hours/day or 35 hours/week• time off in lieu or payment of 1 ½ times EEs hourly rate or 2

times on Sunday or Paid Holiday

Shift Premium

• hours worked outside 8:00 am to 8:00 pm • premium 2.5% of hourly rate

OVERVIEW OF ARTICLE 23

Schedule of Hours

• temporary change in hours = 1 month notice• permanent change in hours = 3 months

notice

Travel

• incorporate travel into normal work schedule

OVERVIEW OF ARTICLE 23

Flexibility in Hours of Work

• Initiated by EEs• EEs may work flexible hours • Alter start and stop times• Request must be operationally feasible • Compressed work week from May 1 to

August 31st – cannot alter lunch period

SCENARIOS: AREAS TO CONSIDER

• Is the solution operationally feasible?

• Do I need to provide notice?

• Is the solution in compliance with the collective agreement?

• Is the solution fair?

SCENARIO #1

Suzie is a long time employee at Laurier whose performance has declined over the last few years but customer service skills are excellent. Suzie is an Event Co-ordinator which requires her to work a majority of Saturday’s to attend events and ensures the event runs smoothly. By Suzie working Saturdays you are accruing large amounts of overtime.

How would you go about solving this situation?

How much notice would you be provide?

SCENARIO #1 - ANSWER

• Need to adjust work week to Tuesday to Saturday (Sunday & Monday days off) to avoid incurring overtime

• Suzie’s days off would be Sunday and Monday

• Since Suzie is a long time employee and if this is a permanent change to her schedule, you will need to provide her with 3 months notice

SCENARIO #2

Roger, recently hired as a Program Co-ordinator, would need to travel to Toronto for a meeting once a month. The meeting is from 8:30 am to 10:30 am. The requirement for Roger to travel to Toronto was explicitly noted on the job posting, confirmed during the interview and noted in the offer letter. There is no money in your budget for overtime.

How would you set Roger’s schedule?

How much notice would be required to provide?

SCENARIO #2 – ANSWER

• Need to adjust schedule so Roger does not work over 7 hours/day including travel time (i.e. 6:30 am to 2:30 pm, would incur shift premium from 6:30 am to 8:00 am)

• No notice required since Roger is a new employee and this schedule would have been set from the start

• Other suggestions: Negotiate new start time for meetings in the future or set-up a conference call

SCENARIO #3

• Fred and Deborah both hold front line positions in an academic department where the office hours posted are from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. Three years ago Fred negotiated a shift of 8:00 am to 4:00 pm. With the flexibility in hours of work language, Deborah would like to work 8:00 am to 4:00 pm. Fred is the more senior employee.

• How would you decide who would get the more desirable shift?

SCENARIO #3 - ANSWER

• “Any request for flexible hours…may be denied by the University if service or operational requirements are adversely affected”

• Mediate between employees to problem solve

• Can approve both employees on a temporary basis – ensure there are other staff members to respond to questions (i.e put a bell out)

• Is there another arrangement Deborah would agree to?

SCENARIO #4

• On April 1st Joe requested to a work a compressed work week from May 1st – August 31st. Joe would work extra hours during the day to have every other Friday off. Joe has accrued 235 hours in vacation. You have also received another request for a compressed work week from Jill for the same schedule.

• How would you respond to Joe & Jill’s request?

SCENARIO #4 - ANSWER

• Ask Joe what his plan was to use up the vacation

• Suggest instead of a compressed work week use vacation

• If Joe is not in agreement, as per Article 25.18.7 (iii) schedule carryover of vacation

• If operationally feasible, approve Jill’s request

SCENARIO #5

• Dorothy is Administrative Assistant for an academic department. She has been employed at the University since 2003. She has been requested to assist with an one-time event that is from 6pm-8pm that is 5 weeks from today. She is responsible for the decorations, registration table and clean-up. The costs of the event have gone over budget.

• How best would you incorporate her daily work hours?

• How much notice would be required to provide?

SCENARIO #5 - ANSWER

• Adjust Dorothy’s schedule the day of the event to work 1pm to 9pm

• Shift premium to paid after 8pm

• Meet with Dorothy at least 1 month prior to the date of event to notify her of the shift change

SUMMARY

• Review employee’s current schedule, is it working for the department?

• Ensure the solution is fair, operationally feasible and is in compliance with the collective agreement

• Always ask yourself how much notice am I required to provide to make this change?

Questions?

CONTACT INFORMATION:

MARY ORTONmorton@wlu.caExt. 2805

STACEY HAWKINSshawkins@wlu.caExt. 4372

KATE KONOPKAkkonopka@wlu.caExt. 4370

JOANNE ROBERTSjoroberts@wlu.caExt. 4371

LISA CARSONlcarson@wlu.caExt. 5612