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MAXI-FLEX - PBS Implementation Rules

[Note: Rebecca Ryan referenced this in her webcast Life-Work Balance is for Wimps: 5 Myths in 50 Minutes.]

DEFINITION: Maxi-flex is a schedule in which an associate, with supervisory knowledge and approval, may vary the length of the workday and workweek, including working less than five days a week, but still accounting for a full 80 hour pay period.

MANAGEMENT REQUIREMENTS: Maxi-flex allows associates more flexibility in scheduling their activities. But with this flexibility, associates have responsibility to:

Provide a proposed work schedule to their supervisor for review and concurrence.
Comply with management requirements for documentation of hours worked (methods may differ by manager/area)
Ensure they are available for customer needs and scheduled meetings, etc.
Fully meet work requirements such as:

In Field Offices:
Working with Field Office Directors and coworkers
to coordinate work schedules to ensure continuous
office coverage.

In the Regional Office:
Coordination with other team members to ensure
someone is available within the Division/Branch
from 8:00am – 4:30pm, Monday thru Friday, to
address customer inquiries.
Managers have the authority to deny participation in the Maxi-flex schedule if work requirements are negatively impacted or an associate does not fully comply with the established guidelines.

CORE HOURS: 9am - 3pm (except on the day when the associate completes his/her basic work requirement - usually the last Friday of the pay period). Supervisory concurrence is necessary.

BASIC WORK REQUIREMENT: A Full-time associate’s basic requirement is 80 hours per biweekly pay period.

Offices must be open for business 8:00am – 4:30 pm (Field Office hours are set by the Field Office Director)
Monday – Friday
Office coverage is mandatory
Work hours are between 6:00 am and 6:00pm. Earliest start time is 6:00am and the latest start time is 9:00am. Hours before 6:00am or after 6:00pm would fall under overtime/comp time/credit hour rules.
Lunch is between 11:00am - 1:00pm (11:00am – 2:00pm for Bargaining unit associates). (Reminder: every associate has a 30 minute unpaid lunch period each day.)
Days the office is closed (i.e., holidays, office closures) are 8 hour days (5 USC 6124)
A sick leave day is an 8 hour day.
No regular four (4) ten (10) hour workweeks are permitted. (This would be a 4/10 compressed work schedule, which is not approved for PBS use.)
Maximum work hours in a day is ten (10) hours.
Maximum work hours in a week are forty-five (45) hours.
Minimum work hours in a week are thirty-five (35) hours.
If an associate is required to work more than ten (10) hours in a single day, the additional time will be recorded as overtime/compensatory time/credit hours, as appropriate.
A Travel day is an 8 hour day. (per OPM rules, 5 USC 6121(5))
A Training day is an 8 hour day. (per OPM rules, 5 USC 6121(5))

WORK SCHEDULES:

All associates must submit anticipated work schedules (for upcoming pay period) to their team lead/supervisor no later than COB on the Monday (second Monday of the pay period) before the beginning of the new pay period.
Anticipated work schedules must be approved in advance.
Any substantial changes to these work schedules must be requested by the associates and approved by the Supervisor.
Work Schedules have to be declared before start of the program.

TIMEKEEPING:

Any shortage of hours within a pay period will be charged first to comp time earned, then to credit hours. If requested by the associate and approved, the shortage may be charged to the appropriate leave category (sick, annual or comp time.) LWOP must be requested and approved in advance.
Each associate will be required to keep a daily record of the time worked.
The excel time sheet can be copied R6 Insite. You need to copy and maintain the spreadsheet on your H drive. DO NOT input data to the spreadsheet located on Insite.
The second Monday of the pay period:
o Associates complete and submit to their Supervisor their anticipated time
sheet for the upcoming pay period.
o Supervisors approve and return to associate.

The second Friday of the pay period:
o Associates complete and submit the actual time sheet to their Supervisor for approval. If there is leave of any kind used or earned the Supervisor will sign and forward to the timekeeper via hard copy.

NOTE: If the associate knows they will be using/earning leave (of any kind) during the pay period they need to request Supervisory approval and the Supervisor will notify the timekeeper so it can be recorded on ETAMS. This will alleviate a glut of last minute posting for the timekeeper on the last Friday of the pay period.

TERMINATION OF PROGRAM OR INDIVIDUAL PARTICIPATION
Management reserves the right to suspend or terminate Maxi-flex for PBS if evidence shows that continuing such a program creates an adverse impact in the operation of the organization. Individuals may have their participation in the Maxi-flex program ended for less than satisfactory work performance, workload demands, or other reasons as determined by the supervisor. (The Union will be provided notice and an opportunity to negotiate on behalf of bargaining unit associates.) Maxi-flex will be administered in accordance with 5 USC 6121(5) and will be in effect from March 5, 2006 through January 6, 2007. Management will review the use and affect of the Maxi-flex schedule annually. THE PROGRAM WILL END ON THIS DATE UNLESS MANAGEMENT MAKES AN AFFIRMATIVE DECISION TO CONTINUE THE PROGRAM.