Flexitime Scheme: Professional Services

Model scheme guidelines for staff

What is flexitime?

Flexitime arrangements are intended to give staff more (but not complete) choice over their working hours, subject to operational requirements. Flexible start and finish times around ‘core working hours’ and within the limitations of the ‘bandwidth’ mean that, to an extent, staff can vary their working hours to suit their own circumstances.

Call all staff participate in the flexitime scheme?

The opportunity for staff to participate in the flexitime scheme is subject to operational requirements and, in principle, staff who work part-time hours which fall outside of the ‘core hours’ should have the same opportunity to participate as full-time staff. However, some part-time roles and working patterns have been specifically designed around the timing of operational requirements, which may limit the ability of participation of some part-time roles in flexitime.  Where it is not possible for part-time staff – or any other staff – to participate, managers will explain to the affected individuals.

How can I vary my hours?

Everyone working full-time must be at work between 10:00 – 12:00 and 14:00 – 16:00 hours. These are known as ‘core hours’ and ensures that the offices are fully staffed for the major part of the day. Part-time staff may have start/ finish times within “core hours” if previously agreed as part of their contractual arrangement.

The ‘bandwidth’ refers to the earliest and latest times between which hours can count towards recorded hours worked. In supporting a culture of work/life balance and discouraging long working hours the bandwidth for this scheme is 08:00 – 18:00 hours.

The flexible hours are from 8:00 – 10:00 and from 16:00 – 18:00 hours, subject to operational requirements.

The University has the right, with reasonable notification, to require attendance at any time during its “opening hours” (ie 09:00 – 17:15 hours) to meet specific, reasonable operational requirements. For this reason, it may not always be possible for you to work your preferred choice of hours. Therefore the co-operation of everyone is vital to the success of the scheme.

Is the lunch break flexible?

You must take a lunch break of at least 30 minutes and a maximum of 2 hours, subject to required staff cover, between 12:00 and 14:00 hours.

How many hours a week must I work?

You normally need to work, in total, at least your contracted hours, but the accounting period for credit/debit is one month. Therefore, full-time staff are not expected or required to work exactly 36.5 hours per week and may ‘carry forward’ credit or debit hours to the next week within an accounting period. Ordinarily, however, staff are expected to balance their hours within the month (for staff who work term-time only, where term ends part-way through an accounting period, hours must be balanced by the end of term). For example, if you find at the end of the week that you have worked 39.5 hours, 3 hours will be carried forward and may be adjusted during the flexible periods of the remainder of the month. Conversely, if you find that you have worked only 35 hours in a week, and a ‘debit’ is incurred, the debit must be made up before the end of that month. The same principles apply for part-time staff.

What if the month ends mid-week?

The accounting period will end on the Friday immediately after the calendar month end. 

What happens if I have a debit or credit balance at the end of the accounting period?

You must ensure that you do not have a debit balance at the end of the accounting period, by adjusting your working hours prior to that date.

In order to be as flexible as possible, staff will be able to carry forward up to 1 day (ie 7 hours and 18 minutes for full-time staff or the equivalent for part-time staff) credit balance into a new month’s accounting period. Credit balances of more than 1 day will be lost unless specific prior authorisation has been given by your Head of Section for a ‘flexi day’ to be taken, using this time, in the following month (see below). 

How can I use 'Credit' time?

This is not a flexi-leave scheme where individuals can choose to work increased hours in order to acquire additional leave. The scheme is a flexitime scheme intended to improve flexibility for both the individual and the University. Therefore, ordinarily, staff will be expected to balance their hours within the accounting period by varying start/finish times although in exceptional circumstances (ie where operational requirements have demanded significant unplanned or unforeseen additional working) employees may be allowed to take a maximum of one ‘flexi day’ per month at the discretion of your Head of Section.

How do I record my time?

You are required to record your own hours of work using the Flexitime - Professional Services template spreadsheet.

Records must be kept up-to-date at all times (if not, it will be assumed that default hours of 09:00 – 17:15 for full-time staff and contracted hours for part-time staff are being worked). When you arrive at work, enter your time of arrival as accurately as possible, in hours and minutes in 24 hour clock format. At lunchtime, you should record your departure and return. When you leave work at the end of the working day, again enter the time.

How do I record my time when I am working away from the office?

Attendance at off-campus meetings, training events, seminars should be recorded as actual time (within the limits of the outer hours of the bandwidth ie 08:00 – 18:00 hours) unless otherwise agreed.

Where you are currently contractually required to work on occasions at weekends and evenings outside the 0800-1800 hours (e.g. to support University events or recruitment exercises), this time should also be recorded on the spreadsheet.

What happens if I am absent from work for other reasons?

Absence from work due to sickness, annual leave, closure days or other reasons should be recorded  as contractual hours for that day, eg for full time staff a standard 7 hours 18 minutes should be recorded (pro-rata for part time staff).

Staff are expected to arrange routine medical appointments in their own time, ie where possible outside of core times. (See section 10 of the Managing Absence Code of Practice).

Spirit of co-operation

The full benefit of flexitime is dependent upon consensus and the co-operation of all staff. The minimum staff cover required at any time will be defined within each working area. Staff share a responsibility for making these arrangements work through co-operation, flexibility and keeping colleagues/managers informed of their preferred work arrangements, for example when they will be leaving early or starting late.

Staff are also reminded that flexitime arrangements are a privilege not a “right” and may be withdrawn or amended, for example if there is a change in the nature or delivery of the service or if the privilege is abused or service standards fall as a result.