Section 6. Days and Hours of Work
6.1 General
The standard work week for employees occupying full-time positions consists of forty (40) hours unless otherwise specified by the Board of Supervisors. The appointing authority shall fix the hours of work with due regard for the convenience of the public and the laws of the State and the County. Employees occupying part-time positions shall work such hours and schedules as the Board and the appointing authority shall prescribe.
Except as provided below, the regular workweek shall consist of forty (40) hours within a seven (7) day workweek which begins Sunday morning at 12:00 a.m., and ends Saturday night at 11:59 p.m
For employees working a 9/80 work schedule (with a regular day off every other week), each employee’s designated work week shall begin exactly four (4) hours after the start of their eight (8) hour shift on the day of the week that corresponds to the employee’s alternating regular day off.
6.2 Alternate Work Week Options
The County may on a department by department, division by division or unit by unit basis offer alternate work week options. Such options may include but are not limited to telework, 4/10 work week, 9/80 scheduling, flexible schedules and job sharing. Should a department or division agree to enter into an alternate work week agreement, the department except in cases of emergency as provided below also agrees to meet with the Union as soon as any problems with the alternate schedules are identified. Except in cases of emergency alternate schedules shall not be discontinued without such a meeting taking place. In all decisions regarding alternate work schedules the department heads decision is final.
In cases of emergency when the foregoing procedure is not practical or in the best public interest, the County may adopt or put into practice immediately such measures as required. At the earliest practicable date thereafter the Union shall be provided with the notice described in the preceding paragraph and be given an opportunity to meet with the appropriate management representative(s).
6.3 Voluntary Time Off Program
Full-time, permanent employees may request a reduction in their work through the Voluntary Time Off (VTO) Program as described in the County’s Voluntary Time Off Policy as summarized herein. Employees may apply for the VTO Program at any time during the year. Application forms shall be made available through payroll clerks and the Benefits Office. Approved applications for enrollment received after April 1st of each year will be effective the first pay period in July of that year. Approved applications received prior to April 1st will be effective the pay period following receipt of approved applications in Human Resources.
Participating employees shall be considered to be in a full-time pay status and the voluntary reduction in work hours will not affect the following benefits:
- Health Insurance Coverage
- Dental Insurance Coverage
- Basic Life Insurance
- Short Term Disability
- Pay for Work-Out-Of-Class
- Step Increases
- Probationary Period
- Seniority
- Supplemental Life Insurance
There will be no effect on accrual of vacation, sick leave and holidays; however, all regular or normal time taken off during the program for vacation, sick leave, holiday, or compensatory time will be compensated at the reduced hourly rate.
The following benefit areas may be impacted by VTO under the following circumstances:
- Overtime: Overtime compensation will not begin until after forty (40) hours have been worked during any one work week, and voluntary time off shall not be considered as time worked when determining eligibility for overtime compensation.
- Long Term Disability: Because the Long Term Disability Plan is based on the worker’s salary, the reduced work hours and the corresponding reduced salary may lower the premiums and the benefits derived.
- Retirement: VTO does not impact years of service, but may impact calculation of compensation. Workers should contact the Retirement Office for detailed information.
All applications are subject to approval by the applicant’s department head. Applications which are disapproved by the department head, or which are approved for a lesser amount of time than requested will be reviewed by the County Manager and the Human Resources Director whose decision is final.