Flexible Work Arrangement Program
Management and Professional Staff
The MaPS Flexible Work Arrangement Program considers the university's commitment to excellence and a changing workplace that requires more flexibility and collaboration. This program provides managers and staff with the tools to implement Flexible Work Arrangements that ensure operational feasibility while promoting a balance between work and personal commitments. There are a variety of formal and informal arrangements available for eligible MaPS.
Informal Flexible Work Arrangements
An informal arrangement involves situational short-term changes in work hours or location. Informal work arrangements do not involve an application process and managers can make informal work decisions on an ad-hoc basis. Arrangements can be discontinued without notice.
As with all flexible options, informal work arrangements depend on clear performance expectations and strong communication between management and staff. Informal flexible work arrangements may include:
- temporarily working outside of normal scheduled hours to meet business or personal situational needs
- occasionally working from home or outside of normal work location
- working additional hours and/or taking additional time off in lieu of unpredictable extended-hours.
Formal Flexible Work Arrangements
A formal arrangement involves situations where a staff member and a manager agree to implement a flexible option that is scheduled and more permanent in nature. A formal arrangement may involve approval processes with applications, enrolment timelines and may include schedule changes that can have potential impact on a staff member's compensation and benefits. There is evaluation criterion that needs to be considered when either reviewing a request or considering offering flexible work options.
This arrangement allows an employee to alter the start and end times of their workday. The number of days worked, and the total standard hours remain the same. (e.g. working 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. instead of 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.)
Eligibility
Regular and Fixed Term full and part-time Management and Professional Staff who have completed their probationary period.
Process
Taking part in a Flexible Hours arrangement does not require a formal application process and can be initiated at any time.
- Discuss with your manager about arrangements that may work for you.
- Submit a request to work hours outside the standard hours to your manager.
- If the request is approved there is no need to change work schedule in the system. There is no defined start date for this option as a flexible hour arrangement can start at any time. You would simply begin to adhere to the new schedule as of the agreed upon date.
- Both you and your manager will evaluate the flexible work arrangement within 6 weeks to assess the impact and ongoing viability of the arrangement.
- Your manager has the right to revoke this arrangement with thirty (30) days notice.
A flexible workweek arrangement allows an employee to work their regular number of hours in fewer days than a traditional schedule. This provides additional time off and can be beneficial in promoting a balance between work and personal time. Managers and employees are responsible for ensuring that operational responsibilities are fulfilled, and that workloads and schedules are managed accordingly.
Eligibility
Regular and Fixed Term full-time Management and Professional Staff who do not have more than one year's vacation accrual at the beginning of the program year. Subject to manager approval.
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Annual
Within a two-week period, staff work their regular number of hours over 9 days, to allow for an extra day off. Staff members must select the scheduled day off in their application and are not permitted to change that election unless operational requirements require it.
During the annual program your workday will be approximately 7.75 hours and therefore any days off from your regular schedule will require that you code 7.75 hours of approved leave (i.e. vacation). In a two-week period, there is no impact to your vacation balance since you will only need to code 9 workdays as vacation.
When coding a single non-flex week, it may appear as if you are disadvantaged by having to draw down 7.75 hours of vacation for five days. However, in that situation you will return to a four-day work week since your scheduled day off should still be taken.
Staff members earn the scheduled flex day off either by working additional hours or taking additional vacation. However, it is still important to understand the impact to coding time off during the annual flex program prior to deciding to apply.
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Summer
Similar to the annual arrangement, however this applies only to July & August. For simplicity, only Mondays or Fridays off are available. At the completion of the specified period, employees return to their normal schedule.
Process
- Discuss with your manager.
- Complete the Application form and select a preferred schedule.
- Submit the approved application to Human Resources for processing.
- Your weekly work schedule will be changed to a rotating two-week schedule where you will work nine (9) days at 7.75 hours per day with the tenth day being a scheduled day off.
- You will begin coding your timesheet with exceptions to your new schedule.
- Both you and your manager will evaluate the arrangement. A staff member may be required to change days off or discontinue participation depending on operational requirements.
You or your manager can decide to discontinue your participation at any time.
The Voluntary Leave Plan is a self-funded leave plan that offers five days of leave where the cost to the staff member is spread evenly over the twelve-month Plan Period. (July 1 - June 30).
The plan provides the opportunity for staff to take additional leave without disruption to pay. All five days must be taken together within the Plan Period. Staff members who participate in the plan will have a nominal salary deduction (approximately 2%) applied over the Plan Period. Salary deducted will be returned to departmental budgets.
You must consider this option in conjunction with potential changes in your employment or personal situation. Enrollment in the program is irrevocable and there will be no carry forward or reimbursement of voluntary flex days not taken, either by the end of the plan period or by the end of your employment. It is important to consider and understand the intent and conditions of the plan prior to applying for this option.
Eligibility
Regular and Fixed Term full-time Management and Professional Staff who do not have more than one year's vacation accrual at the beginning of the program. Subject to manager approval.
Process
- Discuss with your manager.
- Complete the Voluntary Flex Leave Plan Application form. See the annual application timeline below.
- If the request is approved, your manager will submit the approved application to Human Resources for final review and processing.
- A deduction of 1.92% is calculated on your base compensation and will reduce each pay beginning in July and ending in the following June. This deduction funds the additional one week of paid leave.
- You will schedule your one week of leave with your manager. You must use the five (5) days of leave at the same time. When coding your timesheet you will use the Time Reporting Code VFL rather than the vacation code VAC which is the appropriate time reporting code when taking and drawing down your vacation bank.
Reconciliation
Reconciliation of deducted salary and vacation will not be made upon termination. A staff member who has taken a self-funded leave but has not worked the plan period will not be deducted for self-funded leave taken. A staff member who leaves prior to taking their self-funded leave will not be paid out for this time.
Some arrangements may not be appropriate for particular jobs or for certain staff. In all situations, approval of participation will be at the discretion of the manager/supervisor and must be operationally feasible.
- Each application will be given equal consideration by the applicant's manager.
- Managers will use the Evaluating Flexible Work Arrangements Request Guidelines to determine suitability.
- If a request is denied, managers are responsible for notifying the staff member in writing.
Both managers and staff must be responsive to the change and should monitor the arrangement to ensure it continues to meet the needs of the department. In some situations, it may be necessary to discontinue the original plan or seek an alternative. The process used in revising or ending a Flexible Work Arrangement should be just as carefully thought out as when initiating one.