General Staff Flexible Hours of Work Scheme
This page provides information relating to the flexible hours of work arrangements found in the UWS General Staff Agreement. It applies to all continuing and fixed-term contract general staff, HEW Levels 1-9 inclusive, but not casuals, who are paid on an hourly basis.
Staff must use the official Electronic Timesheet to record their hours. Help in setting up the timesheet is available at Timesheet Notes or by contacting your HR Partner, or HR Officer.
Professional staff are encouraged to read the UWS Enterprise Agreement in full.
To assist you, below are some frequently asked questions.
Frequently asked questions
What are the options for my hours of work?
A full-time professional staff member is employed to work 140 hours over a 4-week period (average 35 hours per week):
Staff on 5-7 day rosters may accrue time only in accordance with their rosters. Other staff may elect to work:
- standard hours
- flexible hours, if the organisational requirements allow
What do "standard hours" and "flexible hours" mean?
If you work standard hours, you work 7 hours a day, 5 days a week (35 hours a week), without exception. 'Flexible hours' allows you to work more than 7 hours on some days so that you accrue time to take as flexi-leave.
If I elect to work flexible hours, how many flexi-leave days may I take?
Up to two days flexi-leave every 4-week settlement period, if organisational requirements can be accommodated. You need to talk to your supervisor to discuss whether your preference for a work pattern fit in with the requirements of the work in your area. Flexi-leave may be taken in days or half-days. This applies to part-time staff on a pro-rata basis.
Are there particular times I should be at work? When can I accrue extra time?
On days when you are not on leave (including flexi-leave), you need to be at work between 9.30am and 3.30pm with agreement from your supervisor. These are called the 'core hours'.
You may accrue time between the 'bandwidth', which is 7 am to 6 pm. If you work outside these hours Monday to Friday, your hours will not be counted, unless you have had prior authorisation to work overtime.
You must not work for more than 5 hours without an unpaid meal break of at least half an hour.
May I carryover extra hours in excess of the 140 hours per 4-week period?
A full-time staff member may carry over up to 14 hours credit or debit into the next period (pro-rata for part-time staff). Accruals in excess of 14 hours are lost and a leave form must be completed for debits in excess of 14 hours. Supervisors need to assist staff to manage their time so that hours are not lost.
Flexible Working Arrangements
The University also recognises that staff may have family responsibilities that require accommodation under a flexible working arrangement. Whilst the University already has a successful flexi time program in place for professional staff to manage their time across a 28 day period and makes flexible hours of work available to all employees subject to operational requirements, staff who are a parent of a child who is under school age or a child with a disability under the age of 18 years also have the right to request a flexible working arrangement. For more information about flexible working arrangements please visit the Flexible Working Arrangements web page on the Equity and Diversity website.
What other responsibilities do supervisors have?
Supervisors should:
- familiarise themselves with the Flexible Hours of Work Agreement and the relevant clause of the UWS General Staff Agreement 2009-2012
- discuss with each staff member their hours of work and the organisational requirements of the unit
- ensure they receive timesheets at the end of each 4-week 'settlement' period
- attach copies of any relevant leave forms or authorities for flexi-leave carry overs and overtime forms.
