Guidelines - Work Schedules

Guidelines List | Forms | Procedures

All UNMC employees are expected to work according to established work schedules for the purpose of maintaining continuity in the administration of UNMC and in delivering UNMC’s products and services.

Attendance

All UNMC employees will report to work according to established work schedules for the purpose of maintaining continuity in the administration of UNMC and in delivering UNMC’s products and services. Employees must notify their supervisor as soon as possible if they are unable to report to work. Specific notification periods and rules are established by departments consistent with the business needs of that department. Employees should contact their immediate supervisor for the department’s attendance policy.

Breaks/Lunch Period

Work schedules may provide a lunch period that is unpaid. Lunch/rest periods may be denied if the manager/supervisor determines that the workload will not permit the break. Work schedules may provide for two fifteen-minute rest periods each workday. Such rest periods will be paid, and therefore, are to be considered a privilege.

Rest periods are an employment privilege. Rest periods may not be “saved” to shorten the employee’s workday, to extend lunch breaks, or to alter the work schedule in any way unless approved by the employee’s supervisor in conjunction with a flex-time schedule arrangement consistent with UNMC policy. Rest periods not taken will be forfeited. Abuse of rest periods may result in loss of the privilege.

Overtime/Compensatory Time

The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) is a federal Law governing several time and labor issues. It establishes minimum wage, overtime pay, record keeping, and child labor standards affecting millions of full-time and part-time workers in the private sector, and in Federal, State, and local governments. An Exempt employee is usually paid a monthly salary, does not complete weekly timesheets, and does not receive extra compensation for overtime hours worked; while a 'Non-exempt employee is paid biweekly, completes weekly timesheets, and receives time and one-half overtime compensation for all hours worked over 40 in a workweek (or, if on an approved 8/80 schedule, for all hours worked over 8 in one defined workday, or for all hours worked over 80 in a predefined two week pay period).

The FLSA allows employers to either pay or give compensatory time-off to 'non-exempt employees' (ONLY) for overtime hours worked, both of which are provided at a time and one-half the hourly pay rate. Overtime hours, whether paid as a premium in the paycheck, or, by compensatory time-off, must be accurately recorded on the department’s official time sheet. See your supervisor or payroll department for time sheet specifics. See the Work Schedule Procedures for limitations regarding compensatory time-off.

Overtime pay premium cannot be waived. The overtime requirement may not be waived by agreement between the employer and employees.

Shift Differential

At UNMC, regular hourly paid employees who are assigned to work at night are given additional compensation. A shift differential of ten percent (10%) of base hourly rate is to be paid to an eligible hourly paid employee whose work shift includes four or more hours outside normal UNMC hours (8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.). Shift differential is to be paid for the entire shift, not just for the four or more hours outside normal hours. Shift differential is to be paid for work shifts every day of the week, including weekends.

Weather/Essential Activity Condition

At UNMC, in times of extreme/severe weather, natural or other disasters, essential employees may be required to remain on campus for an extended period of time or to report to campus.