The purpose of this policy is to provide uniform guidelines for the accrual, use, and payment of compensatory time.

Scope

All EPA and SPA employees holding permanent, probationary, trainee, and time-limited appointments are covered by this policy. Temporary EPA and SPA employees are paid for time worked and do not accrue compensatory time. Neither permanent nor temporary academic year faculty accrue compensatory time and are covered under this policy.

Accrual/Expensing of Compensatory Time for SPA and EPA Wage-Hour Subject Employees

All employees who are designated as wage-hour subject under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) must receive extra compensation for hours worked in excess of their regular schedule. Extra hours, up to a total of 40 in the university designated work week (Sunday midnight to Sunday midnight) are compensated on an hour for hour basis. Hours worked in excess of 40 in the university designated workweek must be compensated at time and one half. State policy encourages extra time worked be compensated in time-off; however, divisions/departments have an option to pay for extra time.

1. If time is to be paid, the time sheet reflecting the number of hours to be paid must be forwarded to Payroll by 3:00pm on the first working day of any given month.
   
2. If comp time is to be awarded, the department must elect one of the following options as an operating standard:

Option 1

Compensatory time will be taken the month it is earned or the following month, or it will be paid on the next available payroll (see A.1.a above). This option promotes careful monitoring of comp time by supervisors. If the department has elected this option, upon an employee’s request, an exception may be made to allow a specific employee to use Option 2. Requests for exception must be made in writing by the employee and approved by the supervisor.

 

Option 2

Comp time may be accrued for a maximum of 12 months or 240 hours. At any point that compensatory time exceeds 240 hours, the excess must be paid in the next available payroll. Also, any comp time that is not taken within 12 months of the month it is earned, must be paid. Form HR 08.210B (see forms in Policy HR08.210) is available to track accrual and use of comp time. All unused comp time for SPA and EPA wage-hour subject employees must be paid when the employee separates from the university. It must also be paid by the department where the comp time was earned if the employee transfers to another department within the university (unless the receiving department agrees to accept the comp time.) If at any time an employee has built up an exceptional amount of comp time, a department, who has elected this option may, based on business needs, make an exception to pay all or part of the comp time rather than award time off.

Accrual/Expensing of Compensatory Time for SPA and EPA wage hour exempt employees (except nine month academic year faculty and EPA Tier I officers)

Divisions/Departments must make an election as to whether exempt employees will accrue and track comp time, or use professional scheduling to balance work time. The options are:

1. Option 1 -Track Exempt Comp Time
   
   Neither the Federal Fair Labor Standards Act nor State policy requires compensation for hours worked in excess of the employees’ regular schedule be compensated in any way. However, management may allow exempt employees to track hours worked in excess of their regular schedule and accrue time at no more than an hour-for-hour basis. Hours accrued:
   
   

   a. may be taken with supervisory approval

   b. are accrued for a maximum of 12 months,
   then forfeited

   c. are never paid

d. HR2.10B is available for tracking




2. Option 2 - Utilize Professional Scheduling
   
   The university seeks to provide the opportunity for exempt employees to balance their professional and personal commitments. It is understood that a full-time exempt employee will work a minimum of 40 hours per week; however, in the scope of exempt employees’ normal jobs, work outside the usual schedule is often required. This might include evening meetings, extended travel, or work hours well beyond 40 in a given week. In utilizing professional scheduling, exempt employees may (and with supervisory approval) come in later than usual, take additional lunch time, or leave work early to provide some balance to work time and personal time without having to take vacation, sick, or bonus leave. While all employees who earn leave must keeps records of when they use part of the leave balances, professional scheduling does not require extra record keeping.

Use of Compensatory Time

All use of compensatory time requires supervisory approval. Employees are encouraged to use compensatory time for absences such as vacations, personal business, family member or personal illness. (Supervisors may require employees to use accrued compensatory time in lieu of other leave categories.) Supervisors may also, based on business needs, schedule the use of comp time for employees.

Record Keeping

Compensatory leave is requested, recorded, and records are maintained according to guidelines in Policy 08.210.