Employee Handbook
Guidance on Hours of Work (including Flexible working Hours /
Annualised Hours)
Contents
1.0
2.0
3.0
4.0
5.0
6.0
7.0
8.0
9.0
10.0
11.0
12.0
13.0
14.0
15.0
16.0
17.0
18.0
19.0
Introduction
Official Opening Hours of Shropshire Council
Contracted Hours
Standard Working Week / Day
Hours when work can be carried out
Lunch Breaks
Recording of Hours worked
Credits
Debits
Medical Appointments
Overtime
All other forms of leave
Out-County Visits
Attendance at Training Courses
Termination of Employment
Local Rules
Abuse of the Scheme
Disputes
Review of this Guidance
1.0
Introduction
The operation of the hours of work for employees is firmly based on the principle that
the work of the Council as a whole or the work of any department, section or individual
must have absolute priority.
Very few employees work in isolation, most have duties and responsibilities which
interact with others. It is necessary therefore, for everybody involved to recognise this
and to make flexible working hours / annualised hours fit the requirements of the work to
be done.
It must be understood that the principle of the Scheme does not imply an automatic right
to accumulate credit hours and that managers have discretion both on when work is
carried out and also when to allow requests from employees who wish to take time off
under the scheme.
Employees do not have the right to clock in at 07:00 and stay in the office until 19:00
irrespective of whether or not work is available. In cases where the workflow limits the
period during which employees can be employed, appropriate adjustments to actual
working hour arrangements must be made within contractual terms.
It is not possible to produce a set of rules to cover every eventuality, those which follow,
form the basis of the agreement. Flexible Working Hours / Annualised Hours will only
function satisfactorily if each employee behaves responsibly, recognises the dictates of
the work to be done, works closely with other people and honors the commitment to the
Council.
Employees must recognise that individual managers, or equivalent, have, in the
interests of the service, the right to decide when it is imperative to have staff available,
for the public and customers of the Council, within the time frame detailed above.
2.0
Official Opening Hours of Shropshire Council
These are from 07:00 to 19:00 (08:00-13:00 on Saturday). During official opening hours
adequate cover will be provided, depending on the needs of the service.
Not all buildings, and not all services, will be open during these hours – it will be
dependent on Senior Managers to make these decisions, dictated by the needs of the
service
3.0
Contracted Hours
These are the hours that must be worked by each employee each year except where
the employee is absent through sickness, annual leave or other authorised absence.
These are currently 37 hours per week or 1,929.18 hours per working year for full time
employees, and pro-rated for part-time employees.
4.0
Standard Working Week / Day
A standard working week is defined as 37 hours.(Pro-rata for part time employees)
A standard working day is defined as 7.4 decimal hours. A half working day is 3.7
decimal hours.
5.0
Hours When Work Can Be Carried Out
During which normal work can be carried out will be from 07:00 to 19:00, MondayFriday and 8.00 to 1300 on a Saturday.
Time worked during these hours, less time taken for lunch (or other special leave i.e.
Medical appointments – see 10 below) will be recorded and credited to the individual’s
contracted hours requirement. Any time working either before or after these hours, will
not normally be credited unless prior authority has been given by an appropriate
manager as for overtime working.
6.0
Lunch Breaks
All workers must take an uninterrupted break of 30 minutes when daily working time is
more than six hours. It should be a break in working time and should not be taken either
at the start, or at the end, of a working day.
Managers will decide locally arrangements for cover during these breaks.
7.0
Recording of Hours Worked
Employees are normally required to record the time worked each day. Employees can
use a clocking in machine where provided or alternatively use other methods as
directed by their manager. A spreadsheet to record time worked will be available for use
shortly. Persistent failure to record hours of work, or share the hours worked with an
employee’s manager as requested, may result in disciplinary action being taken against
the employee
8.0
Credits
These will arise when an employee has worked in excess of their contracted hours.
Employees may take credit time either by working less time during a particular period or
taking leave with the specific approval of the appropriate manager.
9. 0
Debits
These will arise when an employee is not meeting their contracted hours requirement.
Managers will be expected to monitor and record debit hours, ensuring that no single or
groups of employees are excessively in debit.
10.0
Medical Appointments
Absences for agreed medical reasons, which an employee has no control over the
timing of (hospital appointments or emergency treatment via a dentist or GP), will only
be credited if they fall within official office hours, and the employee is expected to be at
work (07:00 to 19:00 Monday - Friday and 08:00 to 13:00 Saturday). In that instance,
the employee will be credited the hours worked for that day, or the expected hours to
have been worked for that day, which ever is the lesser.
To ensure that the work of the organisation is affected to the minimum employees must
make non-urgent medical appointments (dental check ups and generic GP
appointments) at a time where they are not expected to be at work. If you are unable to
make your appointment at a time when you are expected to be at work you must ensure
that your manager is agreeable to your absence. You will not be credited for any time
taken to attend non-urgent medical appointments
11.0
Overtime
Paid overtime will not normally be permitted during office hours; exceptionally, Directors
may authorise paid overtime within the bandwidth period but time paid cannot be
credited and must not be recorded in addition to the payment, which will be in
accordance with Council terms and conditions.
12.0
All Other Forms of Leave
Where leave of absence is granted, credit will be given as the contracted standard day,
that being 7.4 hours (pro-rata for part timers).
13.0
Out-County Visits
Employees will be appropriately credited for time spent on out-county visits including
additional travelling time, as agreed with their manager.
14.0
Attendance at Training Courses
Employees undertaking training courses irrespective of location should normally be
limited to a maximum of 7.4 credit hours on any one day. No credit will be allowed for
travelling or attendance for evening classes.
15.0
Termination of Employment
Credits or debits accrued should be balanced out during the final months working (final
settlement period).
The value of any debit hours left unbalanced at the termination of employment will be
recovered by the employer by deduction from the last salary payment or otherwise as
appropriate. Recovery will be at the hourly rate applicable at the date of termination.
16.0
Local Rules
Managers are likely to use their own local rules on the hours of work within their service
area. This will include things such as the times when work can be carried out, core
times in line with service needs, the amount of credit time that can be built up, and how
any credit time can be taken.
Any significant changes that are to be introduced (i.e. a requirement for Saturday
working or changes to working patterns for part-time staff) should be implemented using
the normal consultation arrangements, and with HR advice as necessary.
17.0
Abuse of the Scheme
Employees who fail to observe the recording procedure or honour the spirit of the
agreement may be subject to disciplinary action. It may include requiring the employee
concerned to work normal office hours with no flexibility.
The fraudulent recording of hours may be treated as gross misconduct. In the case of
collusion, all parties to the fraud will be held to be equally responsible.
18.0
Disputes
In the case of dispute the normal grievance procedure will be used.
19.0
Review of this Guidance
This guidance is effective from 1 October 2011, however it is recognised that it will need
to be refined and improved in future, and this will be done in consultation with the Trade
Unions and also taking into account feedback from staff and managers.
Frequently Asked Questions on the changes effective from 1 October 2011
Can my manager still use the rules of Flexi-time that were in place before 1
October 2011?
Yes they can. There is nothing in this guidance to prevent a manager from using the old
flexi-time system in order to provide employees with flexibility and provide an effective
service. The guidance on ‘Local Rules’ makes this clear
Can I still use the flexi card machines?
The guidance makes it clear that it is for managers to decide what method they wish
their staff to use for recording time worked. There are no immediate plans to remove
flexi card machines
The old flexi-time policy had lots of rules. Where are they?
The old rules are not suitable for use across an entire organisation. By removing the
majority of rules, it opens up the possibility for much greater flexibility for staff in when
they work, and for managers in how they deliver their service.
How does working from home fit into the new arrangements?
Hours worked at home, with prior agreement of line managers, will be recorded in the
normal way, as if working in the office. Dependent upon the method of recording
chosen by service areas, alternative methods of recording may be required.