Scheduling Policies

Work Hours

Official hours of operation are from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday through Friday, with an hour for lunch. Two fifteen-minute breaks may be given. In departments where hours of operation differ from the regular hours of operation, employees are expected to adhere to the work schedule established by their supervisor or department head.

Exceptions to official hours of operation include holidays and closure due to inclement weather. Some employees may be required to work during this time.

Holiday Schedule and Pay

The University System delegates authority to institutions to schedule official holidays each year. There are ordinarily twelve official paid holidays and one or two additional days when the University is closed and are charged annual leave.

Employees must be in a pay status for both the workday preceding and the workday following the paid holiday in order to get holiday pay.

The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff is closed for the following paid holidays:

Independence Day
Labor Day
Veteran’s Day – Observed during Christmas Break
Thanksgiving Day
Friday following Thanksgiving (subject to Governor’s Proclamation)
Christmas Eve
Christmas Day
Employee’s Birthday – Observed during Christmas Break
New Year’s Day
Martin Luther King’s Birthday
Friday of Spring Break (in lieu of Presidents’ Day/Daisy Gatson Bates Day)
Memorial Day

Winter Break. Winter break occurs during the Christmas Holidays. Employees will be charged annual leave for any days during that period not covered by regular holidays, deferred holidays or additional holidays declared by the governor. Deferred holidays are one or more of the traditional holidays referenced above that the campus has designated for other use (i.e. Presidents’ Day used for the Friday of Spring Break). At the discretion of the campus and subject to the following section (Holiday Occurring on the Weekend), university employees in nonexempt positions may work additional hours during the month of December, which may be substituted for annual leave on those days when the university is officially closed, which are not covered by holidays. Specific instructions will be sent to employees and department leave representatives annually.

Holidays Occurring on the Weekend. When a holiday, except December 25, falls on a Saturday, the preceding Friday is observed. When December 25 falls on a Saturday, the following Monday is observed. When a holiday, except December 24, falls on a Sunday, the following Monday is observed. When December 24 falls on a Sunday, the preceding Friday is observed.

Other Holiday Work. Employees who are assigned a work schedule that requires them to work on a regularly scheduled holiday may be granted time off on another date that is convenient for them and the department. If the workload in the department makes it difficult to arrange an alternate day to observe a holiday, employee may be paid for the holiday in accordance with provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act.

Part-time Employees and Student Workers. Appointed employees who work less than full-time, but half-time or more, will receive holiday pay proportionate to the time worked. For example, for an employee that works half-time, holiday pay will be at a rate equivalent to four hours. To receive holiday pay, employees must be in a paid status (not on leave without pay) on the employee’s normally scheduled workday before the holiday and the normally scheduled workday after the holiday. In the absence of different arrangements on the campus level, non-student, hourly employees who regularly work 20 or more hours per week are eligible for pay for university holidays at a rate proportionate to the number of hours the employee regularly works, provided the hourly employee works his/her scheduled day before and after the holiday. In the absence of different arrangements on the campus level, student hourly workers are paid only for hours actually worked. An hourly employee is not eligible for holiday pay, if the employee is taking six or more undergraduate credits or five or more graduate credits.

Religious Holidays. In instances where a religious holiday occurs outside of the published holiday schedule for the University, Supervisors shall make efforts to accommodate an employee’s request to be away from work for religious holiday observances. However, nothing shall obligate the University to make accommodation if, in accommodating the request, it would result in undue hardship on the University. Supervisors shall consider the following factors in accommodating religious holidays:

Whether the accommodation creates greater risks to health or safety,
Whether expenses to the University will increase by accommodating the request,
Whether meaningful work can be provided under the circumstances in which the employee will be working, and
Whether supervision can be provided if deemed necessary.

Religious holidays shall be accommodated by:

Adjusting the work schedule of the employee to the extent that it does not significantly impact the rights of other employees, or
Allowing the employee to exchange another holiday for the religious holiday. The unscheduled religious holiday and the substitute holiday shall occur in the same calendar year. If the religious holiday cannot be accommodated by the above, the employee shall use vacation leave, or, if necessary and appropriate, unpaid leave. Authorization by the employee’s supervisor must be granted in advance via the appropriate leave request procedures.

Breaks and Rest Period

There is no designated formal rest period for employees. Where rest periods are allowed, they are limited to two fifteen-minute breaks per day (one in the morning and one in the afternoon). Each department must be sure that adequate staff are always on duty.

Neither state nor federal law requires an employer to provide a break or a meal period. Meal breaks of less than 20 minutes are considered work time, and the employer must pay covered employees for those breaks. Federal law considers these short breaks time for which employees must be compensated. Bona fide meal periods (typically lasting at least 30 minutes), serve a different purpose than short rest or snack breaks and, thus, are generally not time for which employees must be compensated.

Employees working six (6) hours or more must take a lunch break.

Time and Attendance

This policy assures nonexempt employees at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff of its practice to accurately compensate them, to do so in compliance with all applicable state and federal laws, and to correct mistakes when they are called to its attention. It is expected, therefore, that all employees at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff will review their pay document promptly each time compensation is received and report any perceived error to the Director of Administrative Services, Payroll Manager, or the Personnel Manager.

UAPB will fully investigate every report of perceived error or violation of this policy, take corrective action when appropriate, and will make a good will effort to avoid violations in the future. In addition, UAPB will not allow any form of retaliation against individuals who report alleged violations or who cooperate in any investigation of such reports. Any form of retaliation in violation of this policy will result in disciplinary action, up to and including termination.

Definitions

Nonexempt employees are those whose positions do not meet Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) exemption tests and who are paid or receive compensation at one-and-one-half times their regular rate of pay for hours worked in excess of 40 in a forty-hour workweek. Exceptions to the 40 hours per week standard apply to police officers who receive compensation at one-and-a half times their regular rate of pay for hours worked in excess of 43 hours in a workweek. This definition is based on provisions of the FLSA and state law (See http://www.dol.gov/compliance/laws/comp[1]flsa.htm).

FLSA does not require overtime pay for work on weekends, holidays, or regular days of rest, unless time worked causes the employee to work in excess of 40 hours during the work week, or, in the case of police officers, in excess of 43 hours during the work week.

Time Procedures

The work schedule for nonexempt employees begins at 8:00 a.m. and ends at 5:00 p.m., with two 15-minute breaks – one in the morning and one in the evening – Monday through Friday excluding official UAPB recognized holidays or when the campus is otherwise closed, with a one-hour break for lunch. In departments where shifts are required (e.g. Public Safety, Residential Services), nonexempt employees’ work schedules will vary.

Employees are required to enter time for leave taken only.

When operating requirements or other needs cannot be met during regular working hours, employees may be scheduled to work overtime hours. A nonexempt employee will be expected to work overtime when necessary to meet the needs of UAPB. When possible, advance notification of these mandatory assignments will be provided. All overtime work must receive the employee’s supervisor’s prior written authorization.

In lieu of overtime compensation, compensatory time off at the rate of not less than one and one-half (1½) hours may be awarded for each hour of employment for which overtime is required. Payment is made for compensatory time exceeding 240 hours with the exception of non-exempt public safety personnel who is paid for time exceeding 480 hours in accordance with DOL Fact Sheet #8.

A Nonexempt employee may not work any hours that are not previously authorized in by the employee’s supervisor. A nonexempt employee will not be paid for voluntarily arriving at the worksite before their regular starting time or remaining at the worksite after their shift. No overtime, no matter how slight, may be worked without prior written approval from the supervisor.

A Nonexempt employee does not start work early, finish work late, work during a meal break or at their desk or workstation, take work home, work weekends, or perform any other unauthorized extra or overtime work without written authorization from the supervisor. A Nonexempt employee is prohibited from performing “off-the-clock” work, i.e., work performed and not reported.

Attendance Procedures

To maintain a safe and productive work environment, UAPB expects employees to be punctual and reliable in reporting for scheduled work. Nonexempt employees are expected to be at their jobs during their regularly scheduled hours. When absent or tardy, it disrupts the work in the department. Therefore, absence from work will not be excused under circumstances that can reasonably be avoided. The following rules apply to all non-exempt employees:

Regardless of the reason for absence or tardiness, the employee must always notify his or her supervisor as far in advance as possible, but no later than one (1) hour prior to the start of the scheduled work time. A department may designate another minimum notification requirement. Public Safety Officers require a four (4) hour prior notification.
If, because of an emergency, the employee is unable to notify his or her supervisor, the employee should have someone contact the supervisor on his or her behalf.
The employee is expected to give the reason for absence or tardiness and the date and time when he/she expects to return.
Unless it is a prior approved leave of absence, the employee must call in each day of his or her absence.
Chronic and repeated tardiness without acceptable reason is cause for disciplinary action up to and including termination.
In the case of a prolonged absence, a leave of absence must be approved in advance. If the prolonged absence is due to personal illness, a physician’s release will be required prior to return to work. (See FMLA policies).
If the employee is absent without notification, he or she will be considered as having abandoned the job and will be terminated.
An excused absence occurs, provided the employee still has available leave time or the absence is otherwise approved, when the employee notifies the supervisor of his or her absence no later than one (1) hour prior to the start of the scheduled work time 4 hours for police officers, or as soon as possible in the case of an emergency. An unexcused absence occurs when an employee fails to notify the supervisor of his or her absence, when notification is received less than one (1) hour prior to the start of the scheduled work time (4 hours for police officers), when permission is not granted by the supervisor for justifiable reasons, or in any case when there is no leave time available and the leave is not otherwise approved.
Two consecutive days of unexcused absences will result in disciplinary action. Two or more incidents of unexcused absences within any six-month period will result in disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment.
Attendance records are maintained in the system. Written reprimands, which are placed in the employee’s personnel file, become part of the employee’s record.
Employees are not allowed to use sick days for reasons other than personal illness, illness of an immediate family member or for the care of others as prescribed by federal or state law. Unless otherwise approved for leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act or to accommodate a disability under the Americans with Disability Act, a supervisor may require a physician’s statement when abuse of sick leave is suspected.
If a supervisor confirms that the leave is being abused, a written warning may be issued, and a copy placed in the employee’s personnel file. Such warnings may lead to further disciplinary action up to and including termination of employment.
Any non-exempt employee, who submits a false record pertaining to her or his time or attendance, misrepresents time worked, works beyond her or his work schedule without written authorization or otherwise violates any provision of the Time and Attendance Policy for Nonexempt Employees, may be subject to disciplinary action up to and including termination.

Attending Professional Meetings

Members of the teaching, research, administrative, and extension are encouraged to attend professional meetings, when attendance is beneficial to both the employee and the University. Brief leaves from official duties may be granted by the department head for attendance at such meetings when circumstances permit. The University will reimburse part of the travel expenses when travel funds are available and to the extent allowed by University travel regulations. Applications for leave and for travel allowances in connection with attendance at professional meetings must be approved in advance. Human Resources can provide information about Fair Labor Standards Act provisions for travel time for non-exempt employees.

Flex Time

Certain departments are required to remain open twenty-four hours a day. Through mutual consent, the supervisors and employees may establish a forty-hour week at a time different from the regular daily schedule if the needs of the university are better served.

Work schedules should be stated in writing and have the appropriate management approval. Upon approval, a copy must be sent to the Office of Human Resources to be included in an employee’s personnel file.