Sample Policy: Flextime/Job Sharing

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The following is a template flextime and job sharing policy from the Society of Human Resource Management, which is available on the Family Friendly New Mexico website. For the original policy, click here.

[Company Name] is committed to helping employees face the demands of juggling work, family and life-related issues by offering a number of possible flexible work arrangements. These arrangements provide employees with increased flexibility with their work schedule while
allowing [Company Name] to maintain a progressive and productive work environment. Alternative work scheduling is an opportunity to maintain employee productivity through various forms of creative work scheduling.

All [Company Name] employees will be considered for alternative work scheduling on a case-by-case basis in situations where creative work schedules have been shown to accomplish both work and personal goals, to provide coverage for individual department operations and to serve [Company Name] as a whole with increased productivity at no expense to quality output.

Several alternative work schedule options are available to employees:

  • Flextime, in which an employee works eight hours per workday, but there is flexibility in an employee’s set scheduled starting and ending times. Some employees, due to family or personal obligations or preferences, work very early in the morning and leave earlier in the afternoon. Other flextime
    employees may prefer or need to start later in the day and work into the evening.
  • 10-hour day, four-day workweek, in which an employee works 10 hours per workday, reducing the workweek to four days a week.
  • Nine-hour day, half-day on Friday, in which an employee works nine-hour workdays Monday through Thursday and four hours each Friday. (For exempt employees only, there may be the option of nine-hour days and one full day off every other week.)
  • Job-sharing, in which two part-time employees are assigned to the same job equivalent to one full-time employee. The position is shared between the two employees. Job-sharing, as an alternative work schedule, must ensure the continuity of the work being done at the same workstation, with two individuals working as a team to accomplish one full-time position’s duties.

The department director/manager is responsible for identifying if any of the aforementioned staffing options are workable within the department. This may include determining if the entire department or an entire shift must convert to one or more of the above alternative scheduling options. To determine whether an employee’s request for an individual alternative work schedule is appropriate, the director/manager must assess the impact and the outcome in terms of production, quality and absenteeism, and if one or a combination of the above arrangements is in the best interests of the department, [Company Name] and employee.

Types of flexible work arrangements and potential schedules must be approved with consent of the HR department prior to announcement
and implementation.

There will be a six-month trial period to assess the impact of the flexible work arrangement. After successful completion of the trial period,
the work arrangement will be reviewed at least annually thereafter to ensure continued success. The arrangement may be canceled for any reason by management. An employee wishing to change or cancel an alternative work arrangement must obtain written approval from his or her director/manager with consent from HR.

Flexible work arrangements are not appropriate for all employees or positions and are not a universal employee benefit. The following
conditions must be met for a flexible work schedule to be approved: The employee must have a satisfactory attendance record, meet all performance expectations in his or her current role, and consistently demonstrate the ability to complete tasks and assignments on a timely basis. The nature of the employee’s work and responsibilities must be conducive to a flexible work arrangement without causing significant disruption to performance and/or service delivery.

The vice president of human resources has the general responsibility of overseeing the day-to-day implementation of this policy in accordance with payroll and legal requirements. Any requests for exceptions to this policy should be made in writing to the HR department for review and approval. Only the vice president of HR, or his/her designee, in consultation with the president and the affected department director/manager, may grant such an exception.

Please note that the information provided, while research-based, is not guaranteed for accuracy and legality. Please seek legal assistance, or assistance from state or federal governmental resources, to make certain your legal interpretation and decisions are correct. This information is for guidance, ideas, and assistance.