Regulations & Policies

Human Resources

I. OBJECTIVE & PURPOSE

This policy sets forth the University’s expectations regarding hours of work. This Policy is intended to complement applicable collective bargaining agreements; however, to the extent this Policy conflicts with the terms of an applicable collective bargaining agreement, that agreement’s terms will control.

II. STATEMENT OF POLICY

1. Recording of Hours and Requests for Leave. The University requires all nonexempt employees to accurately record their hours worked and both exempt and nonexempt employees to request the appropriate leave when they need to be absent from their scheduled workweek.
2. Federal Fair Labor Standards Act
   1. The university complies with the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and Florida law with respect to minimum wages and overtime.
   2. Exempt employees are employees who are exempt from the FLSA and are not entitled to overtime pay. They typically hold executive, administrative, professional, outside sales, or certain computer-related positions. These roles often involve decision-making, specialized knowledge, or managerial responsibilities. Exempt employees are usually salaried and must meet specific criteria regarding their job duties and salary level.
   3. Nonexempt employees are covered by the FLSA and are entitled to overtime pay (or if elected compensatory time) for any hours worked over 40 in a workweek. Nonexempt employees must receive at least the federal or state minimum wage (whichever is higher) and overtime pay at one and a half times their regular rate of pay
3. Hours of Work
   1. Workweek
      The standard workweek is 40 hours for full-time employees. The work week is Saturday through Friday. Paid leave is not considered hours worked for purposes of calculating overtime unless stipulated otherwise in an applicable collective bargaining agreement.
   2. Work Schedules
      Where rotations are being made in the employee's regular work schedule, the new shift, workdays and hours will be provided in advance and will reflect at least a two (2) workweek schedule.  It is the University’s intent to make a good faith effort to provide changed schedules at least ten days in advance and reflect a one (1) month schedule. Where regularly assigned work schedules are rotated, the University will make a good faith effort to equalize scheduled weekend work among employees in the same functional unit whenever this can be accomplished without interfering with efficient operations. When an employee rotates to a different shift, the employee shall receive a minimum of two (2) shifts off between the end of the current shift assignment and the beginning of the new shift assignment.
      
      

      With prior written notification of at least three (3) workdays to the employee's immediate supervisor, employees may mutually agree to exchange days or shifts on a temporary basis. If the immediate supervisor objects to the exchange of workdays or shifts, the employee initiating the notification shall be advised that the exchange is not approved. 

4. Overtime
   Working more than 40 hours per week (overtime) for nonexempt employees must be approved by the appropriate supervisor prior to the hours being worked. Employees must report all hours worked and will be paid for those hours even if prior approval was not first obtained. Failure to obtain preapproval may lead to disciplinary action.
   
5. Compensatory Leave
   1. In lieu of receiving overtime pay, a non-exempt, non-OPS employee may request in Workday to receive compensatory leave.  The decision to grant a request to receive compensatory time instead of overtime compensation is in the discretion of Human Resources.
   2. Compensatory leave is provided at the rate of 1.5 times the total hours worked beyond 40 in a workweek.
   3. Unused overtime compensatory leave shall be paid out in the following circumstances:
      1. if the employee changes departments through promotion or reassignment;
      2. if the employee has accrued more than 80 hours (120 for employees covered by the Police Benevolent Association CBA) as of June 1. The amount in excess of 80 and 120 respectively shall be paid out in the last pay period of June;
      3. if the employee separates from the University;
      4. if the employee requests payout during the year;
      5. if at any time the employee would accrue more than 240 hours (480 hours for law enforcement, fire protection, and emergency response personnel), the excess will be paid as overtime and no compensatory leave may be accrued beyond those limits; or
      6. if the University requires the individual to cash out all or a part of their compensatory leave balance. This may be done at any time in the discretion of Human Resources.
   4. An employee must use accrued, unused compensatory leave prior to using any other form of leave.  If the leave is taken for an FMLA-qualifying reason, the FMLA leave balance will be reduced by the number of compensatory leave hours used.
6. Rest Periods
   No supervisor shall unreasonably deny a nonexempt employee a fifteen (15) minute rest period during each four (4) hour work shift. Rest periods are considered paid time worked. Whenever possible, such rest periods shall be scheduled at the middle of the work shift. However, it is recognized that many positions have a work location assignment that requires coverage for a full eight-hour shift, which would not permit the employee to actually leave their work location. In those cases, it is recognized that the employee can "rest" while the employee remains at his/her work location.
   
   An employee may not accumulate unused rest periods, nor shall rest periods be authorized for covering an employee's late arrival or early departure from work.
7. On-Call Assignment
   1. "On-call" assignment shall be defined as any time when a nonexempt employee is instructed by management to remain available to work during an off-duty period. An employee who is so instructed must be able to receive communications to return to work to perform assigned duties.
   2. In an emergency or other unforeseen circumstances, the University may instruct an employee to be on-call for a period of not more than twenty-four (24) consecutive hours.
   3. On-call time is not compensable for purposes of computing overtime unless the nonexempt employee is subject to restrictions which would limit the employee’s after-hours freedom (i.e. receive a high number of calls, limited to a geographic location, and so forth).
   4. If a nonexempt employee is called back to the University to perform work beyond the employee's scheduled hours of work for that day, the employee shall be credited with the actual time worked plus two (2) hours.
8. Exempt Employees
   If you are classified as an exempt salaried employee, you will receive a salary which is intended to compensate you for all hours that you may work. While it may be subject to review and modification from time to time, such as during salary review times, the salary will be a predetermined amount that will not be subject to deductions for variations in the quantity or quality of the work you perform. You will receive your full salary for any workweek in which work is performed.  However, under federal law, your salary is subject to certain deductions.  For example, your salary can be reduced for the following reasons in a workweek in which work was performed:
   
   1. Full day absences for personal reasons, including vacation.
   2. Full day absences for sickness or disability, since we have a sick leave pay plan and short-term disability insurance plan.
   3. Full day disciplinary suspensions for infractions of safety rules of major significance (including those that could cause serious harm to others).
   4. Family and Medical Leave absences (either full or partial day absences).
   5. Unpaid disciplinary suspensions of one or more full days for significant infractions of major workplace conduct rules set forth in written policies.
   6. The first or last week of employment in the event you work less than a full week.
   7. Reduction for certain types of deductions, such as your portion of health, dental or life or other insurance premiums; state, federal or local taxes; social security; other optional deductions like parking permits; or voluntary contributions to a savings or pension plan.
      
      In any workweek in which you performed any work, your salary will not be reduced for any of the following reasons:
   8. Partial day absences for personal reasons, sickness or disability.
   9. Your absence because the facility is closed on a scheduled work day.
   10. Absences for jury duty, attendance as a witness, or military leave in any week in which you have performed any work.
   11. Any other deductions prohibited by state or federal law.
       

       
       Please note:  You will be required to use accrued annual, sick, or other forms of paid time off for full or partial day absences for personal reasons, sickness or disability.  However, your salary will not be reduced for partial day absences if you do not have accrued paid time off.

9. To Report Violations of This Policy, Communicate Concerns, or Obtain More Information
   It is a violation of the University’s policy for any employee to falsify a timesheet, or to alter another employee’s timesheet. It is also a serious violation of University policy for any employee or manager to instruct another employee to incorrectly or falsely report hours worked or alter another employee’s time card to under- or over-report hours worked.  If any manager or employee instructs you to (1) incorrectly or falsely under- or over-report your hours worked, (2) alter another employee’s time records to inaccurately or falsely report that employee’s hours worked, or (3) conceal any falsification of time records or to violate this policy, do not do so.  Instead, report it immediately to Human Resources.
   
   

   If you have questions about deductions from your pay, please contact Human Resources immediately.  If you believe your wages have been subject to any improper deductions or your pay does not accurately reflect all hours worked, you should report your concerns to a supervisor immediately.  If a supervisor is unavailable or if you believe it would be inappropriate to contact that person (or if you have not received a prompt and fully acceptable reply within three business days), you should immediately contact Human Resources at hr@unf.edu.  If you have not received a satisfactory response within five business days after reporting your concern to Human Resources and you are unsure who to contact to correct the problem, please immediately contact compliance@unf.edu or use the reporting hotline at http://www.lighthouse-services.com/unf; (844) 401-0004 (English); (800) 216-1288 (Spanish); or reports@lighthouse-services.com (must include UNF name with the report).

   Every report will be fully investigated and corrective action will be taken, up to and including discharge of any employee(s) who violates this policy. 
   
   In addition, the University will not allow any form of retaliation against individuals who report alleged violations of this policy or who cooperate in the University’s investigation of such reports.  Retaliation is unacceptable.  Any form of retaliation in violation of this policy will result in disciplinary action, up to and including discharge.

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