1. Overview

   As a matter of work-life balance, Ohio university supports a progressive work culture that embraces diversity and provides, where appropriate, flexible work schedules, flexible hours, and flexible work location options for administrators and classified employees. Ohio university acknowledges that there are growing demands on staff recruitment and retention, as well as the growing demands on university space and energy requirements. Additionally, the university recognizes as a public entity, it is charged with using resources in the most efficient and effective manner. Employees covered by a Collective Bargaining Agreement should refer to their respective agreements.
   
   This policy pertains to flexible arrangements (schedules, hours, locations), not to positions hired to work at locations outside of Ohio university’s main or regional campuses and satellite centers. 

2. Flexible work schedules, flexible hours, and flexplace options

   1. "Remote Work" - The practice of an employee working at their home, or in some other place that is not Ohio university's usual place of business. 

   2. "On-Site" - The practice of employee working at the organization’s usual place of business.  The employee may have a permanent work location, or a flexible work location made available to the department and schedulable by the employee.

   3. "Hybrid Work" - The practice of an employee practicing a combination of remote and on-site work as needed to perform the expectations of their job duties. 

   4. "Core Hours" - Period of Hours each day/week when department must be staffed at an appropriate level. 

   5. "Peak Periods" - Cyclical times of the year when business activity or work volume is high during which the department must be staffed on site at specified level. Employees may be required to work on campus for their regular schedule.

3. Flexible work schedules, flexible hours, and flexible location options

   1. Flexible work schedules
      
      Flexible work schedules that maintain coverage during university core hours may include such options as a compressed work week (for example, four ten-hour days, four nine-hour days and one four-hour day, etc.), or may include alternative start and end times to the work day. Flexible work schedules will not reduce the number of hours required to be worked by an employee. For example, a full-time employee will be required to work forty hours in a work week.

   2. Flexible work hours
      
      An additional purpose of this policy is to recognize occasional excess hours worked by an employee. A supervisor may approve reasonable, intermittent flexible hours in recognition of hours worked that are clearly in excess of the standard work week at Ohio university for employees who are exempt from the overtime provisions of the Fair Labor Standards Act.
      
      In such cases, the flexible hours option involves the downward flexing of the number of work hours in any given week and should be implemented within a reasonable time frame and as close to the period of excess hours worked as possible.
       

   3. Flexible work location
      
      Flexible work locations including remote and hybrid, as defined in paragraph (B) of this policy, may be provided at the supervisor's discretion.  

4. Use of Flex Options 

   The options for flexible work schedule, flexible work hours, and flexible work locations are available when appropriate and at management’s discretion after consultation with and approval by the planning unit vice president/vice provost. Flex arrangements require advance supervisory approval and may not adversely affect diversity initiatives or the university culture, impede teamwork, reduce productivity, efficiency, or availability, or degrade internal or external service levels. It is the responsibility of the planning unit head to ensure service levels are maintained. Decisions to offer and grant flexible work arrangements may be complicated and multifaceted and as a result it is acknowledged that perceptions of equity and fairness differences will exist. The guidelines for flexible work schedule, flexible hours, and flexible work locations for administrators and classified employees sets forth the mandatory requirements for managers and staff; it must be reviewed prior to granting a flex option; and indicates flex options should be reviewed periodically and are subject to change. Flex options may be initiated by managers or administrators and classified employees. The appropriate FlexWork Tracker App must be completed prior to commencement of any flex options. The university is not obligated to approve a proposal for a flexible work arrangement for any employee. Flexible work schedules are subject to ongoing review and may be terminated at any time by the supervisor or by the employee with the agreement of the supervisor, as outlined in the policy.

Reviewers

Proposed revisions of this policy should be reviewed by:

1. Vice Presidents

2. Deans

3. Chairs and Directors

4. Other Planning Unit Heads

5. Administrative Senate

Forms, References, and History

1. Forms

   The following forms are specific to this policy:

   1. FlexWork Tracker App

   2. FlexWork Operational Guidelines 

2. References

   The following items are relevant to this policy:

   1. Ohio FlexWork website with additional resources can be found by navigating to this site: https://www.ohio.edu/hr/flexwork

   2. Policy 03.003, "Americans with Disabilities Act Compliance."

   3. Policy 40.001, "Equal Employment and Educational Opportunity."

   4. Policy 40.054, "Family and Medical Leave."

   5. Policy 41.002, "Additional Compensation."

3. History

   Draft versions of this policy that were circulated for review, their cover memos, their forms, and Reviewers' comments on them are available on the password-protected Review site.

   Prior versions of this policy were approved:
    

   1. June 22, 2016

   2. November 30, 2012