6160
Page 1 of 5
FOREST SERVICE MANUAL
CHEQUAMEGON-NICOLET NF (REGION 9)
RHINELANDER, WI
PARK FALLS, WI
FSM 6100 – PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT
CHAPTER 6160 – ATTENDANCE AND LEAVE
Supplement No.: R9 Cheni 6160-2008-2
Effective Date: September 23, 2008
Duration: This supplement is effective until superseded or removed.
Approved: JEANNE M. HIGGINS
Forest Supervisor
Date Approved: 09/23/2008
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 title was 6100-2008-1 to 6159.
New Document
R9 Cheni 6160-2008-2
5 Pages
Superseded Document(s)
(Supplement Number and
Effective Date)
R9 Cheni 6160-2002-1
5 Pages
Digest:
6160 – Revises established policy and guidance in the administration of alternative work
schedules and use of credit hours.
R9 CHENI SUPPLEMENT 6160-2008-2
EFFECTIVE DATE: 09/23/2008
DURATION: Effective until superseded or removed
6160
Page 2 of 5
FSM 6100 – PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT
CHAPTER 6160 – ATTENDANCE AND LEAVE
6160.3 – Policy. This supplement establishes alternative work schedule policy and guidelines
for the Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest relative to maxiflex and the associated use of
credit hours. This supplement was developed by the Forest Partnership Council.
Alternative work schedules (AWS) maxiflex will be used on the Chequamegon-Nicolet National
Forest for the purpose of improved productivity and greater service to the public. 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.
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, hamper its
effectiveness or overall service objectives, results in reduced productivity, or increases the cost
of national forest operations may be disapproved, discontinued, or modified.
The Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest will be adequately staffed during business hours that
run from 8 a.m. until 4 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Basic Work Requirement
A full-time employee must work the equivalent of 80 hours/pay period.
A part-time employee works less than 80 hours/pay period on a schedule defined by their
appointment. On occasion, they may work up to 80 hours/pay period if mutually agreed to
between employee and their immediate supervisor.
Regularly Scheduled Administrative Workweek (RSAW)
5 CFR 610.111(a) (1) states “a basic workweek of 40 hours, which does not extend over more
than 6 of any 7 consecutive days.” The regularly scheduled administrative workweek (RSAW)
is the period within which any employee is regularly scheduled to work. For employees of the
Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest working under a maxiflex schedule, the RSAW has been
revised to consist of 5 eight-hour days per week scheduled between:
Sunday – Saturday
5 A.M. – 10 P.M.
Normal employee work schedules should continue to be planned between the hours of 6 a.m. and
6 p.m. Under the revised RSAW, employee may now choose to “flex” their work schedule and
work between 5 a.m. and 6 a.m., or 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. These hours will be coded TC01 or
TC29. Union officials performing union-related duties may code this time to TC37 or TC38, or
R9 CHENI SUPPLEMENT 6160-2008-2
EFFECTIVE DATE: 09/23/2008
DURATION: Effective until superseded or removed
6160
Page 3 of 5
FSM 6100 – PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT
CHAPTER 6160 – ATTENDANCE AND LEAVE
other appropriate codes. Since these “flex” hours are being taken at the discretion of the
employee, there will not be any night differential paid.
Credit Hours
Credit hours apply ONLY to employees working on maxiflex tours of duty. Employees working
under 4/10 or 5 4/9 work schedules ARE NOT eligible to earn credit hours.
Credit hours are those hours worked in excess of the employee’s basic workweek, but within the
RSAW Sunday to Saturday 5 a.m. – 10 p.m. “flex” band, which the employee elects to work.
Use of credit hours should be connected to efficient completion of a work assignment. Credit
hours are not to be worked for the purpose of creating additional “paid leave” time.
Up to 24 credit hours may be earned and carried over by full-time employees. The maximum
number of credit hours that a full-time employee may show on their Time and Attendance Report
(T&A) at the end of any pay period is 24. A part-time employee is limited on a pro rata basis –
that is, he/she may not accumulate more than one quarter of the hours in his/her biweekly basic
work requirements. For example, a part-time employee who is scheduled to work 40 hours per
pay period could accumulate a maximum of 10 credit hours (1/4 x 40 = 10).
Credit hours “earned” are coded to your T&A under Transaction Code 29 (TC29). Credit hours
“used” are to be recorded as Transaction Code 50 (TC50). Credit hours can be carried over
indefinitely from one pay period to another, and do not have to be used before annual leave or
sick leave, or compensatory time.
Core Time
Core time is the days and hours during the workday and workweek during which an employee on
a maxiflex schedule must be present for work.
The Chequamegon-Nicolet National Forest has established core days to be three workdays per
week, between Monday and Friday, of an employee’s RSAW. Employees under a maxiflex
schedule must work a minimum of three core hours on each core day falling between the hours
of 9 a.m. and 3 p.m.
Excluding lunch periods, absences during core time must be charged to appropriate leave (e.g.,
annual or sick leave, comp time, credit hours, LWOP, AWOL), unless the supervisor authorizes
the employee to deviate from core time hours/days and make up the absence during “flex” hours
in the same workday or subsequent workdays within the pay period.
R9 CHENI SUPPLEMENT 6160-2008-2
EFFECTIVE DATE: 09/23/2008
DURATION: Effective until superseded or removed
6160
Page 4 of 5
FSM 6100 – PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT
CHAPTER 6160 – ATTENDANCE AND LEAVE
6160.4 – Responsibility
Managers and supervisors may modify these guidelines to meet specific unit needs. However,
modifications should be rare and made only in unusual situations. They should not be more
restrictive, and may not result in increased entitlements to employees not permitted by law.
Implementation of any subsequent modifications of this document shall be subject to negotiation
with representatives of the Union.
6161 – ADMINISTERING WORK SCHEDULES
Work schedules shall normally not begin before 6 a.m., nor extend beyond 6 p.m.
Employees working under maxiflex schedules are entitled to a maximum of eight (8) hours
holiday pay. The base hours chargeable to training, and the amount of annual and sick leave
taken on a given day, is limited to a maximum of eight (8) hours per day UNLESS a pattern of
working more than 8 hours as a routine can be shown. This same policy applies to weather
related dismissals and other incidents involving the use of administrative leave.
The base hours for an employee under a maxiflex schedule, including credit hours, cannot
exceed 11½ hours in any one day. Any additional hours worked must be mutually agreed to by
employee and supervisor, and paid for under the guidelines for premium pay. Such instances
should take into account any health and safety issues that might apply, as well as seriousness of
any existing emergency situation, fire overtime.
On a maxiflex work schedule, “flex” hours are the times during the workday, workweek, or pay
period (minus core hours) during which an employee may choose to vary his/her times of arrival
to and departure from the work site, consistent with the duties and requirements of the position.
Employees must account for 80 hours base pay per pay period, but may work more or less than
40 hours per week.
Rest Breaks
Work schedules will start and end at 15-minute intervals (on the quarter hour). Rest breaks are
included as compensated time in the basic workday, and are recorded as work hours. Breaks
should occur approximately midway through each 4-hour period of the 8-hour day, and should
not exceed 15 minutes. Additionally, a 15-minute rest period is included within each 4-hour
period of overtime worked.
Employees who refrain from taking a scheduled 15-minute morning and afternoon rest break
may not depart the work place 30 minutes before the end of the work day, nor may they extend
their lunch period.
R9 CHENI SUPPLEMENT 6160-2008-2
EFFECTIVE DATE: 09/23/2008
DURATION: Effective until superseded or removed
6160
Page 5 of 5
FSM 6100 – PERSONNEL MANAGEMENT
CHAPTER 6160 – ATTENDANCE AND LEAVE
Employees are required to take a minimum of 30 minutes for an unpaid meal break roughly
halfway through their schedule on any day that they work more than 6 hours. Meal periods must
not be taken at the end of a workday in an attempt to shorten the length of the workday.
Travel
Maxiflex rules do not apply as stated above if employee is in travel status (travel requiring the
filing of a travel voucher). Employees must follow travel regulations when in travel status.