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Weekly Work Schedules
Positions are classified according to the number of
hours worked each week. The following describes the usual weekly work schedules:
Full-time: Most full-time exempt administrative
and non-exempt/administrative support positions at the college have a regular work
schedule of 35 hours per week; however, some positions call for regular schedules
of up to 40 hours a week. A staff member working 35 hours or more per week is considered “full-time.”
Regular part-time: Staff members in this category
work regular schedules of 17.5 or more hours per week that is at least half of the
normal full-time schedule of 35 hours per week. Even though the normal full-time
schedule for similar positions may be 40 hours per week, any staff member working
a regular schedule of 17.5 hours or more per week is considered regular part-time.
Less than half-time: Staff members in this category
work regular schedules of less than 17.5 hours a week.
Annual Work Schedules
The operation of the college requires various annual
work schedules based on the needs of each office or department. The following describe
the usual annual work schedules:
Fiscal-year (12-Month) positions: Staff members
in these positions are scheduled to work 12 months (52 weeks) from July 1 through
June 30.
Academic-year positions: Staff members in academic-year
positions work approximately nine months while the college is in session. The academic
year begins the week before classes start in the fall and ends one full week after
Commencement (generally 39 weeks).
Other: Most college positions have either fiscal-year
or academic-year schedules. However, based on the special operational needs of specific
offices or departments, a few employees work 9-1/2, 10, or 11 months (i.e., 40, 44,
or 48 weeks) per year.
Normal Work Hours
The normal business hours for administrative offices
are 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. However, there are some departments in which the workday
may begin at 8:00 a.m. or end at 5:00 p.m. All administrative offices are expected
to be staffed and open for both phone and in-person visits during office hours. The
normal work schedule is a seven-hour day (35 hours per week) with an unpaid lunch
hour. Employees in some departments work a standard eight-hour day. For additional
information, please refer to the section Flexible Work Schedules later on in this
section.
Non-exempt (hourly) staff: The demands of the
academic year or unusually heavy office workloads will, at times, require overtime
work. Employees may be required to work overtime during such periods. Work performed
by non-exempt staff beyond the normal daily work schedule must have the prior approval
of the supervisor or department head.
Supervisors may on occasion require that employees change
their normal weekly work schedule to accommodate the work load. When such adjustments
are necessary, supervisors are expected to give reasonable advance notice.
Exempt (salaried) staff: Administrative positions,
by the very nature of their duties and responsibilities, often require irregular
and heavy work schedules. Occasional service in excess of the regular workweek and,
in some assignments, regular service on evenings and weekends, may be expected, to
meet the responsibilities of the position.
Administrative staff are expected to devote whatever
time is necessary beyond their normal work schedule to complete their assigned duties,
and are not normally eligible for compensatory time for hours worked in excess of
35 per week.
Summer Hours
The normal summer workday begins at 8 a.m. and ends
at 4 p.m. Summer hours begin the second Monday after Commencement and end the week
before the opening of college in September. However, some departments may continue
to be open until 4:30 p.m. The Office of Human Resources publishes the specific dates
of summer hours each year.
Attendance, Punctuality, and Reporting of Absence
You are expected to be present and on time at the start
of your scheduled workday. If you are unable to report to work, or are going to be
late for any reason, you should notify your supervisor promptly and advise him/her
of the duration of your absence. Except in the case of serious illness or injury,
you are expected to call your supervisor each day you will be absent. Frequent tardiness
and unscheduled absences from work will be cause for disciplinary action.
If you are absent for more than five consecutive days
due to illness, accident, or surgery, or at other times at the discretion of the
college, the college reserves the right to require you to submit a doctor's statement
or other medical evidence indicating your degree of fitness and your ability to resume
the full duties of your position.
Lunch Hours
For full-time staff members there is a daily one-hour
unpaid lunch break scheduled by the department head as determined by the needs of
that office. The standard lunch-hour period falls between 12 and 2 p.m. Where possible,
lunch periods are staggered to provide continuous coverage in offices that must be
open all day. Lunch hours may not be shortened or accumulated for additional time
off.
For staff members who work a daily part-time schedule,
the Commonwealth of Massachusetts mandates that a 30-minute unpaid break must be
made available after six hours of work.
Rest Periods
Although department policies vary, mid-morning and mid-afternoon
rest periods of 10 to 15 minutes are normally provided for employees whose work does
not allow them to move about freely. However, scheduled rest periods are not considered
necessary for employees who are free to move about, obtain refreshments, or attend
to comfort needs at will. Check with your supervisor about the rest period policy
in your department.
Paid rest periods or breaks are no more than 10 to 15
minutes; supervisors are responsible for scheduling breaks convenient to department
operations. There should always be adequate coverage of the phones in the office
during break times. Breaks may not be used to extend a meal period nor can they be
taken at the beginning of your work schedule. If you are unable to take a break,
you cannot accumulate the time for use at a later date.
Release Time for College-Related Activities
With the approval of your supervisor, you may be granted
a reasonable amount of time off with pay to attend committee or informational meetings,
community forums, training workshops, and other college-sponsored events that are
held during your regularly scheduled work hours. Released time for college-related
activities must not interfere with your ability to complete your work assignments
or adversely affect department operations.
Working at Home
Non-exempt employees generally may not take college
work home or work at home, either during or after regular work hours. Exempt staff
may, and are sometimes expected to, take work home to meet the responsibilities of
their positions.
Flexible Work Schedules
The college encourages flexibility in work schedules
to help employees meet personal/family needs and thereby retain valued employees
while meeting the operational needs of the college. An alternate work schedule requested
by an employee must also meet the department's needs; in essence, the employee and
supervisor must develop a partnership to ensure that required work can be completed
given the requested schedule change. To ensure adequate departmental staffing, once
an alternate work schedule has been approved, the employee is responsible for following
this schedule. Alternate work schedules may not be possible in all positions or departments,
and are subject to change.
Questions regarding flexible schedules should be directed
to your supervisor or department head or to the Office of Human Resources.
Personal Business
Department heads and supervisors may consider requests
for occasional rearrangement of work hours to accommodate personal business which
must be taken care of during normal work hours. Brief absences can usually be accommodated
by using personal time or vacation time. At the discretion of the department head
or supervisor, an employee may also make up the time on another day during the week
in which time is taken off.
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