6109.11_20
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FOREST SERVICE HANDBOOK
SUPERIOR NATIONAL FOREST (REGION 9)
DULUTH, MN
FSH 6109.11 – PAY ADMINISTRATION, ATTENDANCE, AND LEAVE HANDBOOK
CHAPTER 20 – HOURS OF DUTY (WORK SCHEDULES)
Supplement No.: 6109.11-2009-1
Effective Date: October 9, 2009
Duration: This supplement is effective until superseded or removed.
Approved: MARK HUMMEL
Deputy Forest Supervisor
Date Approved: 10/9/2009
Posting Instructions: Supplements are numbered consecutively by Handbook number and
calendar year. Post by document; remove the entire document and replace it with this
supplement. Retain this transmittal as the first page(s) of this document. The last supplement to
this Handbook was 6109.11-2008-3 to 6109.11 Contents.
New Document
6109.11-2009-1
7 Pages
Superseded Document(s) by
Issuance Number and
Effective Date
R9 Superior 6109.11-2003-1
4 Pages
Digest:
20 – Revises title of chapter from “Attendance and Leave” to “Hours of Duty (Work
Schedules).” Makes technical and editorial changes throughout the chapter to conform with
changes in Superior National Forest (SNF) policy on work schedules. Specific changes are as
follows:
21.02 and 21.04 – Adds objectives and responsibilities.
21.1 – Adds Superior National Forest (SNF) policy on Regularly Scheduled Administrative
Workweek (RSAW) for a flexible work schedule.
21.2 – Adds direction about Alternative Work Schedules (AWS) for SNF employees.
SNF SUPPLEMENT R9 SUPERIOR 6109.11-2009-1
EFFECTIVE DATE: October 9, 2009
DURATION: This supplement is effective until superseded or removed.
6109.11_20
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FSH 6109.11 – PAY ADMINISTRATION, ATTENDANCE, AND LEAVE HANDBOOK
CHAPTER 20 – HOURS OF DUTY (WORK SCHEDULE)
22 – Adds guidance and references the codes listed in WO Amendment 6109.11-2008-1.
22.03 – Renumbers and revises the caption from “Variable Day, Variable Week and Maxiflex
Schedule Guidelines” to “Policy.” Establishes SNF policy and guidelines for administering
AWS.
22.11 – Renumbers and revises the caption from “Scheduled Work Requirement – Base Time
(TC01)” to “Basic Work Requirement.”
22.12 – Renumbers and revises the caption from “Flexible Time Bands” to “Flexible and Core
Time Bands.” Removes restriction that normal daily hours occur Monday through Friday.
Removes direction for coding absences during core time. Changes days SNF employees may
choose to “flex” work schedules.
22.13 – Renumbers and revises the caption from “Scheduled Tour of Duty” to “Tour of Duty.”
Removes policy that each full-time employee’s scheduled tour of duty consists of five, eighthour days.
SNF SUPPLEMENT R9 SUPERIOR 6109.11-2009-1
EFFECTIVE DATE: October 9, 2009
DURATION: This supplement is effective until superseded or removed.
6109.11_20
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FSH 6109.11 – PAY ADMINISTRATION, ATTENDANCE, AND LEAVE HANDBOOK
CHAPTER 20 – HOURS OF DUTY (WORK SCHEDULE)
21 – ESTABLISHMENT OF WORKWEEK AND WORK SCHEDULES
21.02 Objectives
To provide instructions for administering work schedules for Superior National Forest
employees. These instructions tier to Washington Office direction and have been reviewed and
negotiated at the Superior Partnership Council.
Maxiflex will be the normal alternative work schedule (AWS) utilized by all Superior National
Forest employees. Exceptions may be necessary when a maxiflex schedule would conflict with
the duties of a position.
21.04 – Responsibility
Line officers have the responsibility to:
1. Work with employees and supervisors to set work schedules in situations where a
maxiflex schedule would be in conflict with the duties of the position.
2. Monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of the schedule.
21.05 – Definitions
Refer to WO Amendment 6109.11-2008-1 for list of definitions.
21.1 – Regularly Scheduled Administrative Workweek
The Regularly Scheduled Administrative Workweek (RSAW) is the period within which an
employee will be scheduled to work. It is used to determine an employee’s entitlement for leave,
excused absence, injury, training, travel, and premium pay. Each employee’s RSAW must be
established prior to the start of the administrative workweek and is to be recorded on their
electronic Time and Attendance Record.
For the Superior National Forest, an employee’s RSAW will usually be scheduled between
Sunday and Saturday, 5:00 AM and 10:00 PM. Exceptions may be necessary in situations where
a schedule other than maxiflex is established.
Flexible Work Schedule RSAW - The RSAW for a flexible work schedule:
a. Is a flexible schedule consisting of the basic work requirements plus any regularly
scheduled overtime;
b. Indicates the days and times during the administrative workweek when an employee is
regularly scheduled to work; and
c. May be flexed in accordance with section 22.1.
SNF SUPPLEMENT R9 SUPERIOR 6109.11-2009-1
EFFECTIVE DATE: October 9, 2009
DURATION: This supplement is effective until superseded or removed.
6109.11_20
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FSH 6109.11 – PAY ADMINISTRATION, ATTENDANCE, AND LEAVE HANDBOOK
CHAPTER 20 – HOURS OF DUTY (WORK SCHEDULE)
Refer to WO Amendment 6109.11-2008-1 for other RSAW descriptions (Standard Work
Schedule, Compressed Work Schedule, First 40-Hour Workweek, Non-Standard Tour of Duty) if
needed.
21.2 – Establishment of Work Schedules
For the Superior National Forest, the AWS tour of duty may show differing daily schedules
worked continuously except for a meal period. For those employees who are on standard tours
of duty, schedules would consist of 8 working hours.
1. Establishing and Changing Work Schedules
a. Established work schedules are to be recorded on each employee’s electronic Time and
Attendance Record.
b. Changes in work schedules that are made by the supervisor or manager prior to the
beginning of an administrative workweek require written notification to the employee,
except when emergencies and unforeseen situations require a change in the employee’s
work schedule.
c. For bargaining unit employees, refer to the applicable union contract for additional
guidance.
22 – Alternative Work Schedules
Guidance on Alternative Work Schedules (AWS) is found in the following:
1. Title 5, United States Code, Chapter 61, Subchapter II – Flexible and Compressed Work
Schedules.
2. The Office of Personnel Management regulations in Title 5, Code of Federal Regulations,
Chapter 610, Subpart D – Flexible and Compressed Work Schedules.
3. The Office of Personnel Management Handbook on Alternative Work Schedules which
can be found at http://www.opm.gov/oca/aws/index.asp
22.03 - Policy
This amendment establishes policy and guidance for the Superior National Forest in the
administration of alternative work schedules (AWS).
AWS Maxiflex will be the primary work schedule for the Superior National Forest for the
purpose of improved productivity and greater service to the public. AWS Maxiflex will enable
managers and supervisors to meet their program goals, and at the same time, allow employees to
be more flexible in scheduling their activities.
SNF SUPPLEMENT R9 SUPERIOR 6109.11-2009-1
EFFECTIVE DATE: October 9, 2009
DURATION: This supplement is effective until superseded or removed.
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FSH 6109.11 – PAY ADMINISTRATION, ATTENDANCE, AND LEAVE HANDBOOK
CHAPTER 20 – HOURS OF DUTY (WORK SCHEDULE)
AWS Maxiflex Guidelines for the Superior National Forest include the following policies:
Managers and supervisors, in consultation with their employees, may modify these
guidelines to meet specific unit needs; however, modifications should be rare and made only
under unusual circumstances. They should not be unnecessarily more restrictive, and may
not result in increased entitlements to employees not permitted by law. Implementation of
any subsequent modifications of these guidelines shall be determined by the consensus of the
Superior National Forest Partnership Council.
Managers and/or supervisors have the authority to approve individual requests, and
disapprove requests when the peculiarity of the work requires particular schedules. When
any request for a particular schedule is denied, the employee will receive a written
explanation of the denial.
Any individual work schedule that conflicts with the duties of a position, hampers its
effectiveness or overall service objectives, results in reduced productivity, or increases the
cost of operations on the Superior National Forest, may be disapproved, discontinued or
modified with the consensus of the affected unit’s local partnership council.
The Superior National Forest’s offices will be adequately staffed during the normal business
hours of 8:00 AM until 4:30 PM.
22.11 – Basic Work Requirement
1. Full-time employees must be in pay status at least three days per week. A maximum of
50 hours of work per week is allowed.
2. Credit hours are hours worked in excess of an employee's basic work requirement, which
the employee elects to work so as to vary the length of a workday or workweek. Credit
hours may be earned Sunday through Saturday, between 5:00 AM and 10:00 PM.
3. Units will allow credit hour carryover from one pay period to the next, to a maximum of
24 credit hours (maximum number allowed at the end of any pay period).
4. Supervisors cannot require/request non-exempt employees to earn credit hours or
compensatory time in lieu of overtime.
5. Work schedules shall normally not begin before 6:00 AM nor extend beyond 6:00 PM.
Hours worked in any one day as part of the employee’s basic work requirement,
including credit hours, cannot exceed 11-1/2 hours, with few exceptions; e.g., fire
overtime (Fire Business Handbook).
SNF SUPPLEMENT R9 SUPERIOR 6109.11-2009-1
EFFECTIVE DATE: October 9, 2009
DURATION: This supplement is effective until superseded or removed.
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FSH 6109.11 – PAY ADMINISTRATION, ATTENDANCE, AND LEAVE HANDBOOK
CHAPTER 20 – HOURS OF DUTY (WORK SCHEDULE)
6. Work schedules will start and end at 15-minute intervals (on the quarter hour).
7. Employees may not work more than six consecutive hours on any day without taking at
least a 30-minute lunch period. Employees may decide when the non-compensated lunch
period is to occur, but the supervisor may request adjustments.
8. Rest breaks are included as compensated time in the basic workday and are recorded as
work hours. Employees should NOT refrain from taking a scheduled 15-minute morning
and afternoon rest break. Employees CANNOT refrain from taking this scheduled break
in order to depart the work place 30 minutes earlier at the end of the workday or extend
their lunch period.
22.12 – Flexible and Core Time Bands
The Superior National Forest has established the following policy for core time:
Core days are to be three workdays per workweek, between Monday and Friday, of an
employee’s RSAW,
Core hours are to be 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM on the three core days of each workweek.
Supervisors may permit core time deviation when requested in advance. Core time deviation
should rarely be requested, and will be granted unless critical work requirements dictate
otherwise.
Normal daily work hours shall occur between the hours of 6:00 AM and 6:00 PM. Any tour of
duty established between 6:00 PM and 6:00 AM requires payment of night pay differential. Any
tour of duty established to include Sunday hours requires the payment of Sunday differential.
Flexible hours are the times during the workday, workweek or pay period (minus core hours)
during which an employee may choose to vary his or her times of arrival and departure from the
worksite, consistent with the duties and requirements of the position.
Employees of the Superior National Forest may choose to “flex” his/her work schedule and work
between 5:00 AM and 6:00 AM, or 6:00 PM and 10:00 PM, Monday through Saturday. These
hours will be coded to TC 01 or TC 29. Employees not scheduled to work on Sunday, may
chose to earn credit hours on Sunday charging these hours to TC 29.
Union officials performing union-related duties may code this time to TC 37 or TC 38, or other
appropriate codes.
SNF SUPPLEMENT R9 SUPERIOR 6109.11-2009-1
EFFECTIVE DATE: October 9, 2009
DURATION: This supplement is effective until superseded or removed.
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FSH 6109.11 – PAY ADMINISTRATION, ATTENDANCE, AND LEAVE HANDBOOK
CHAPTER 20 – HOURS OF DUTY (WORK SCHEDULE)
22.13 - Tour of Duty
Each full-time employee has a fixed scheduled tour of duty (RSAW) consisting of 80 hours per
pay period. Each part-time employee has a fixed scheduled tour of duty, as applicable, and must
work the equivalent of no less than 32 hours per pay period and no more than 64 hours per pay
period. Each employee must document their scheduled tour of duty at the top of their electronic
Time and Attendance Record (Established Work Week and Hours). These hours should indicate
start and end time of your workday and lunch period.