SOP_NUMBER: 104.67
TITLE: Official Work Hours and Alternative Work Schedules
REFERENCE_CODE: IVO21-0002
DIVISION: Administration and Finance (Human Resources)
TOPIC_AREA: 104 Policy-HR Timekeeping/FLSA/Overtime/Call-Back
EFFECTIVE_DATE: 2017-10-04
WORD_COUNT: 1286
POWERDMS_URL: https://public.powerdms.com/GADOC/documents/105320
URL: https://gps.press/sop-data/104.67/

SUMMARY:
This policy establishes the official work hours and alternative work schedule options available to non-security employees at the Georgia Department of Corrections. The policy sets core work hours from 8:00 A.M. to 4:30 P.M., Monday through Friday, and authorizes supervisors to implement alternative work schedules such as flexible schedules, alternating work day offs, and 10-hour days when operationally appropriate. Employees on alternative schedules must complete an agreement form with their supervisor and comply with requirements related to leave usage and state holiday compensation.

KEY_TOPICS: work hours, alternative work schedules, AWS, flexible schedules, 4/10 schedule, 9-hour day, compensatory time, work schedule agreement, employee scheduling, shift schedules, staggered schedules, telework, FLSA work period, state holidays, leave usage, non-security employees

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|GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS<br>Standard Operating Procedures|Col2|Col3|
|---|---|---|
|**Policy Name:**Official Hours and Alternative Work Schedules|**Policy Name:**Official Hours and Alternative Work Schedules|**Policy Name:**Official Hours and Alternative Work Schedules|
|**Policy Number:** 104.67|**Effective Date:** 10/4/2017|Page: 1 of 4|
|**Authority:** <br>Commissioner|**Originating Division:** <br>Administration and Finance<br>Division (Human Resources)|**Access Listing:**<br>Level I: All Access|



**I.** **Introduction and Summary:**
A. Appointing Authorities of the Georgia Department of Corrections (GDC) ensure

that the mission of the Department is accomplished and, therefore, have the
authority to establish and modify work hours and schedules as deemed necessary.

B. Supervisors may establish non-security Alternative Work Schedules (AWS) and

work hours for the benefit of the Department and its employees. Employees may
be required to change their schedule at any time as required by the Department.
AWS may be used in conjunction with the Department’s Telework Program.

C. Use of any AWS standard plan described in this procedure that causes a variance

from the standard work period has automatic approval from the Director, Human
Resources.

**II.** **Authority:**
A. State Personnel Board Rule: 16 Absence from Work;

B. GDC Standard Operating Procedures (SOP’s): 104.37 Working Hours, Overtime

and Compensatory Time (FLSA), 104.39.04 Leave Without Pay, and 104.66
Teleworking; and

C. ACA Standards: 2-CO-1C-01, 1-CTA-1C-01, and 4-4048.

**III.** **Definitions:** None

**IV.** **Statement of Policy and Applicable Procedures:**
A. Official Work Hours:

1. The official core work hours of the Department are from 8:00 A.M. to 4:30

P.M., Monday through Friday (24-hour operations excluded).

2. During this time, all offices should be open for business unless

administratively and/or programmatically unfeasible.

3. All offices are to be adequately staffed to transact business during work hours

and to provide necessary and appropriate services.

4. Supervisors are to ensure that minimum staff is maintained on all shifts to

provide sufficient coverage. Official core hours must meet standard staffing
patterns and coverage requirements in non-security operations.


|GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS<br>Standard Operating Procedures|Col2|Col3|
|---|---|---|
|**Policy Name:**Official Hours and Alternative Work Schedules|**Policy Name:**Official Hours and Alternative Work Schedules|**Policy Name:**Official Hours and Alternative Work Schedules|
|**Policy Number:** 104.67|**Effective Date:** 10/4/2017|Page: 2 of 4|
|**Authority:** <br>Commissioner|**Originating Division:** <br>Administration and Finance<br>Division (Human Resources)|**Access Listing:**<br>Level I: All Access|


B. Work Schedules:







1. The standard work period for non-security employees starts at 1:00 A.M. on

Saturday, and ends at 12:59 A.M. the following Saturday (SOP 104.37). Any
variance from the standard work period, apart from the AWS schedules in
this procedure, requires approval from the Director, Human Resources.

2. Employees’ work hours must be scheduled based on the needs of the

office/facility. Supervisors may allow employees to work non-standard hours
that are not detrimental to Departmental operations or to other employees’
workload.

3. An Alternative Work Schedule Agreement form (Attachment 1) must be

completed, dated and signed by both the employee and the supervisor.

4. Work schedules may vary depending on the type of duties performed and

work locations. Some jobs may not be suitable for AWS.

5. Employees working AWS are encouraged to schedule routine medical

appointments or personal business appointments on the scheduled off day.

6. Due to decreased staff on the alternating off days (Monday/Friday), planned

and unplanned absences can adversely affect facility/office activities.
Supervisors must closely monitor all leave usage.

7. The amount of leave used must conform with the schedule hours for the day

requested, i.e., 8, 9, or 10 hours depending on the employee’s schedule.

8. All State Holidays are eight (8) hours. Eligible employees who work 9-hour

or 10-hour day schedules must request leave, use compensatory time, or work
an adjusted schedule to make up the difference in time for the 8-hour holiday.
If insufficient hours are worked, and the employee does not have leave time
to cover the balance, the time may be charged as leave without pay.

C. Alternative Work Schedules (AWS):

1. An AWS generally has a start and/or end time that differs from the

Department’s core hours and **must** meet the following criteria:


|GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS<br>Standard Operating Procedures|Col2|Col3|
|---|---|---|
|**Policy Name:**Official Hours and Alternative Work Schedules|**Policy Name:**Official Hours and Alternative Work Schedules|**Policy Name:**Official Hours and Alternative Work Schedules|
|**Policy Number:** 104.67|**Effective Date:** 10/4/2017|Page: 3 of 4|
|**Authority:** <br>Commissioner|**Originating Division:** <br>Administration and Finance<br>Division (Human Resources)|**Access Listing:**<br>Level I: All Access|



a. The official start time for an 8-hour day cannot be earlier than 7:00 A.M.

(ending at 3:30 P.M., with a 30-minute meal break) and not later than
9:00A.M. (ending at 5:30 P.M., with a 30-minute meal break).

b. The official start time for a 9-hour day cannot be earlier than 6:00 A.M.

(ending at 3:30 P.M., with a 30-minute meal break) and not later than
9:00 A.M. (ending at 6:30 P.M., with a 30-minue meal break).

c. The official start time for a 10-hour day cannot be earlier than 6:00 A.M.

(ending at 4:30 P.M., with a 30-minute meal break) and not later than
9:00 A.M. (ending at 7:30 P.M., with a 30-minute meal break).


**NOTE:** **The employee’s supervisor may approve additional**
**time for a meal break.**

2. **Flexible Schedules** - Employees within an organizational unit may be

scheduled to report for work at different specified and staggered times, e.g.,
7:30 A.M., 8:15 A.M., etc.

**EXAMPLE:** **Employee A** reports at 7:30 A.M., observes a 30-minute

unpaid meal period, leaves at 4:00 P.M. – 8 hours worked.
**Employee B** reports at 8:15A.M., observes a 30-minute
unpaid meal period, leaves at 4:45 P.M. – 8 hours worked.

3. Although start and end times are flexible, employees must designate and

regularly adhere to specified and approved start and end times.

4. **Alternating Work Day Off** - This plan covers a two-week period.

Employees may be permitted to work four 9-hour days and one 4-hour day in
one 7-day workweek and four 9-hour days and one 4-hour day in the next
work week. This allows the employee on this schedule to have one work day
(Monday or Friday) off every other work week. This schedule requires that
the FLSA 7-day work period begins in the middle of the 8-hour day. The 8hour day occurs on the day of the week the employee is scheduled off in the
other week of the two-week period. The half-way point of the 8-hour work
day marks the beginning of the next 7-day work week.


|GEORGIA DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS<br>Standard Operating Procedures|Col2|Col3|
|---|---|---|
|**Policy Name:**Official Hours and Alternative Work Schedules|**Policy Name:**Official Hours and Alternative Work Schedules|**Policy Name:**Official Hours and Alternative Work Schedules|
|**Policy Number:** 104.67|**Effective Date:** 10/4/2017|Page: 4 of 4|
|**Authority:** <br>Commissioner|**Originating Division:** <br>Administration and Finance<br>Division (Human Resources)|**Access Listing:**<br>Level I: All Access|



**NOTE:** **An employee’s official workweek would begin after four hours**
**of work on either Monday or Friday through four hours of**
**work on the next Monday or Friday.**

5. **10-Hour Day**       - Employees may be permitted to work four 10-hour days each

work period. Using this AWS, the official workweek is Saturday, 1:00 A.M.
through Saturday, 12:59 A.M.

6. Participation in an AWS is a privilege, not a right, and may be changed by

the Appointing Authority if situations occur such as work load changes,
attendance problems, poor work performance, emergencies, etc.

7. When possible and if appropriate, supervisors should give employees

advance notice prior to changing work schedules.

8. Employees who wish to end an AWS must submit a written request to their

supervisor before the change becomes effective.

9. Supervisors shall review the AWS for each employee at the beginning of

each fiscal year in conjunction with the Performance Management Planning
and Evaluation Process.

**IV.** **Attachment:** Attachment 1, Alternative Work Schedule Agreement

**V.** **Record Retention of Forms Relevant to this Policy:** Attachment 1, Alternative
Work Schedule Agreement – Maintain one year following end of agreement in the
local leave file.